The Kingdom of Forking Paths
by The Erudite
Summary: There are no easy choices in life, and the results of any decision are never either wholly good or bad. For every change in the endless river of time, a new bifurcation is created. In one such instance, a prince of Hoshido raised in Nohr embraces his adoptive family and changes their kingdom from within. An alternate telling of Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest (begins at Ch. 6).
1. Embrace the Dark

"Ryoma… withdraw your troops."

Had he really said that? Had those words really passed his lips? Would this be the end, so shortly after the inception? He felt his hands grow tighter on the sword. The fingers strained: he imagined his knuckles would be white if he could see them through the gloves.

The samurai was staring blankly back at him, "What did you say?"

"I can't have you attacking my family, Ryoma," he answered, shutting his eyes.

"Your family?!" the Hoshidan prince gasped, "We're your family. The people behind you, they're the ones who murdered our mother. Have you already lost sight of that?"

He opened his eyes again, "None of my brothers or sisters had anything to do with Lady Mikoto's death. On that, I would stake my life."

"What about the monsters ravaging our homeland? Would you so callously ignore them, too? Who do you think is responsible for all that?"

"I…" he glanced to the side, "have my suspicions. But I won't allow you to harm the only family I have ever known to satisfy your vengeance."

"This isn't about me, it's about them! They plan to invade Hoshido off the back of our mother's assassination, and you would help them?!"

"After all I've been through with these people, my dear brothers and sisters… I can't turn my back on them now."

"But you can turn your back on your real family?"

"That's quite enough out of you, Hoshidan prince," Xander scoffed, "Don't try to confuse my brother with your posturing. His declaration was loud and clear: he will support his brethren in Nohr. And I cannot begin to tell him how happy that declaration has made me."

"Silence!" the Hoshidan prince leapt forward, "You… you curs must have brainwashed him somehow, with your fiendish magic!"

Xander blocked his path, "Don't insult me, you contemptuous wretch. Corrin made this decision completely of his own volition."

"Ryoma," Corrin appeared from behind his brother, "I know you likely won't understand my reasoning, and I don't ask you to forgive me, but I've made my choice."

Ryoma swung his blade. Corrin yelped and brought forth the Yato just in time to parry the strike, but then another push came that knocked him to his feet. "I will bring you back to Hoshido, even if I have to do it with you kicking and screaming all the way!" the prince shouted.

Xander swatted his opponent back with the breadth of his own blade, "Get away from him, you coward! You think you're acting in his best interest by jumping up and attacking him, trying to drag him away from what he's decided? You Hoshidans are pathetic. You have my pity. Unfortunately for you, my sacred blade, Siegfried, knows nothing of pity—only of triumph!"

Corrin watched his brothers cross swords, and the sparks flew, shimmering into the air. They glittered in the evening light and scattered into the grass below, scorching it with each movement.

By this time, the Nohrian and Hoshidan royals had closed in on the center of the battlefield, and were preparing to engage each other. "Little prince… No, that's not right. Corrin, go: help our siblings and stop the Hoshidans! I'll put an end to this mouthy 'High Prince' of theirs!"

Corrin offered no comment and complied with his brother's instructions, running back to his Nohrian siblings. He was tempted to jump in and embrace each of them, feeling a lightness in his heart at seeing them all again, but contemptuous stares jabbed at his back. He turned around and saw the Hoshidans approaching. Takumi was at the front, and he loosed a shimmering arrow at the young Nohrian prince, who dodged the attack quite narrowly. Shortly thereafter, the Hoshidan archer was strung up by a bunch of gnarled, knotted roots that strangled him. "Hotheaded fool," Leo scoffed, brushing off Brynhildr. "And you!" he pointed at Corrin, "for gods' sakes, look alive!"

"Right," Corrin nodded, feeling embarrassment rush to his face. He turned to look at the advancing Hoshidans: Sakura was at the back of the line, guarded by the tactician he had met along with his mother… Yukimura? At any rate, in front of them, Hinoka's pegasus was streaking forward through the air, and her lance was pointing straight to his face. He was blown back as the dark, leathery wings of Camilla's wyvern pushed him aside and her axe caught the Hoshidan princess's lance.

"Darling," she cooed, "would you lend your big sister a hand?"

"Don't talk to him like that, witch," Hinoka growled, "That's _my_ little brother."

Corrin stepped between them, his Yato glinting in the sunlight, "Sorry, Hinoka… but you're wrong." She shouted as Corrin swept her off her Pegasus, cutting into her shoulder as she fell. Camilla smiled and held up her axe over the princess's head, but she felt her brother's hand reach across her—normally a sensation she would very much appreciate. "Camilla, don't! There doesn't have to be any bloodshed today. We can end this silly fighting and just find a resolution…"

Suddenly, they heard Ryoma shout from behind them. Xander stood over him, poised to plunge Siegfriend into the samurai's chest, but the sounds of hundreds of footsteps and his brother's gaze halted him. "Damn," cursed the crown prince of Nohr, "Their strategist seems to have called for reinforcements. Corrin, Camilla, Leo, Elise—everyone, fall back! We can't win against an army of this size." The Nohrian royals heard their brother loud and clear and ran back behind the lines, dodging stray arrows and shurikens that shot out from the emerging crowd at their backs.

"That's right… run away, traitor!" Corrin heard Takumi shout.

"Corrin!" he heard Ryoma, too, "This isn't over! Soon… you'll see the error of your ways!"

The battle was over. They retreated. There was Hoshidan blood on the Yato's tip, which the prince only noticed when it gleamed in the moonlight as they all began to retreat. The blood had dried onto the sword: it was impossible to wash it off now. In a way, Corrin thought it would be more disrespectful to try, even if he could.

The light of day gradually gave way to the ever-present dark of Nohr as they began to step beyond the borders of Hoshido, listening to the methodically clop of horses' hooves and the rattling of armor. Eventually, Corrin saw his eldest brother turn around and look behind them for the first time in a few hours.

"We'll make camp here," Xander told them all, raising his hand as a signal, "The Hoshidans wouldn't dare travel this close to the Nohrian border."

Corrin prepared to step off of his horse when he thought he heard a whisper behind him that stopped him in his tracks. He heard the noise again and stepped down, looking around. Suddenly, his eyes were attracted to a nearby bush, where he saw the long aqua hair that could only belong to Azura poking out. He glanced over his shoulder, finding his siblings just coming to a stop and not looking his way. He sidled over and greeted her, "Azura?"

"So… you really intend to leave Hoshido in favor of Nohr?"

"I don't expect you to understand, but—"

"No, I understand."

He blinked. "You… you do?"

"I'm not sure I agree, but I understand completely. Nohr is your home, and these are your siblings, regardless of what anyone else tells you. I know the feeling," she nodded, "I… don't know if we can walk the same path, however."

"Oh," his eyes fell, "I hadn't even considered that. Well, no hard feelings, Azura. You're free to choose just as I did. To be completely honest, I'd feel really bad about fighting against you, but…"

"Rest assured, I won't be doing any fighting," she answered, "I just need… to think. I'm going to go back home and think for a long time about this."

"All right," Corrin nodded, "On the unlikely chance that you do want to come back to Nohr… well, I'll see to it there's always a place for you."

Her eyes widened a little, "Thank you. That's… very kind. Now, I have to be on my way."

He nodded and saw her off. "What a strange woman," he thought out loud, "I can never quite figure out what she's thinking."

"Corrin!" he whipped around at the shout of his name. Xander was waving him toward a small campfire.

"Are you going to spend the whole evening staring at plants?" Leo chuckled, cocking an eyebrow.

"Oh! Sorry, I was… distracted," he explained, walking over and taking a seat.

"That's understandable, given what you endured today," Xander nodded.

Camilla scowled, "Hoshidan filth! How dare they scold my precious Corrin and make him feel bad for denying their schemes!"

"Brother," Xander looked him in the eyes, "I know I already said as much on the battlefield today, but I want to reemphasize how important your decision is. Even knowing what you do about your past, you chose the people who have always treated you like family. That is a kind of dedication and loyalty that I can never adequately repay."

"And my, the fire you had in your eyes when you stood against that prince of theirs," Camilla giggled into her palm, "Why, I felt a stirring within my own heart just seeing you like that."

"I hate to admit it, but," Leo shrugged, "it does feel good having you on our side. Your form was off, and your strategic thinking and situational awareness need a lot of work… but, it's nice to know that you think of us like that."

Corrin nodded, feeling a smile creep onto his face, "I could never abandon you all, not after all the time we've spent together. Besides, I don't have all the facts about this situation. I'd like to speak to father about it and gain some Nohrian perspective before I go blindly believing some Hoshidans I've never met."

"Spoken like a true prince," Xander smiled, "You impress me already with how much you've grown. You'll come to see what an inspiration you can be on the battlefield with an attitude and dedication like that which you displayed today."

Corrin nodded and turned his head to see Elise's long blonde hair drooped in front of her face, "Elise? You're uncharacteristically quiet tonight."

She lifted her head, "Oh! I'm sorry, I was just worried about you fighting today. I guess I'm not quite over it yet."

Xander also turned to face her, "That's right, you've never been on a battlefield before, either, have you, sweet Elise? No doubt you're a bit shaken up by what you saw."

"What? N-No," she stammered, "I wasn't worried about any of that stuff. I'm a princess of Nohr! I'm not scared of anything!"

"It's all right, Elise," her brother scooted closer to her, rolling up his sleeve, "See? Not a scratch on me. Same goes for both our brothers and our big sister. Everyone is just fine."

Xander smiled. Elise did the same, "I guess you're right. But still… this means we'll be going to war with Hoshido, doesn't it?"

"Most likely," their eldest brother agreed, "but we have to hear what our father has to say about it. For now, just try to relax. Everything will get sorted out in the morning."

"I sincerely hope you're right about that," Corrin chuckled.

Camilla waved at her younger brother, "Now, come here, darling. Rest in your big sister's lap like you used to."

He blushed, "Er, Camilla, I'm not entirely sure that's appropriate."

"Yeah," Elise balled her fists, "if he lays in your lap, then how am I supposed to lay in his lap?"

"And how am I supposed to get to sleep with the rest of you prattling all evening?" Leo rolled his eyes. Elise stuck her tongue out at him.

"That's enough," Xander declared with authority, "Everyone can sleep in their own bedrolls for tonight. Now, no more chatter, let's all of us get some rest." The siblings fell in line with their brother's decree and all got into their bedrolls in the tents that had been set up for them. Gradually, each of them fell asleep under the low gleam of the stars above. Each, with the exception of Corrin, of course.

The Nohrian prince lay with his eyes pointed at the top of his tent, where he could just barely make out the figures of the stars, like polka dots on the fabric. He thought, at one point, that he had fallen asleep, but he realized once he was forced to swat at a gnat that came near his eye that he was only lost in a dreamlike remembrance of the past few days' events: he had realized the truth of his birth, transformed into a dragon, and shunned his birth family for his adoptive one. After a moment, he came to realize something else: he had turned into a dragon, hadn't he? And how did he manage to control the power? He was given a stone by Azura… almost as if she'd had it ready. The prince creased his eyebrows as he rolled over and thought once more of the aqua-haired maiden and her curious song. Maybe it was more than coincidence that had drawn them together. But she was gone back to Hoshido now, so what was the use, he supposed. Their time for interaction was over. Still, she had never said that she _wouldn't_ see him again… The prince rolled over again, grunting in frustration: damn her and her vagueness. Why couldn't she simply say what she meant? Were all women outside of his sisters and retainers this perplexing?

[...]

Azura felt her bare feet dig into the loamy soil underneath them and sighed. She looked up at the sky that towered above her, almost mocking her with its vastness. It was the color of sapphires. She continued walking, her arms folded in front of her chest and wrapping around herself, in part because of the cold and in part because the pose helped her inclination toward thinking, and she had quite a lot of that to do.

So he had decided to rejoin Nohr. Contrary to what she told him, she found it hard to believe. Her fingers drifted to the marks that wove a long and sordid tale up her arm and shuddered when she thought back to that place. She could only think of it as a cold kingdom of perpetual darkness and death. Was it only because he was so sheltered that he made his choice? That he was afraid of new surroundings, that he thought he had nowhere else to go? Perhaps it was too late to be considering these questions: after all, the choice was already made, wasn't it? The more important question was whether or not she could follow him back to his homeland. To her homeland. She let her arms fall to her sides and exhaled: what would mother tell her to do?

"Stop right there, traitor!" She complied and came to a halt as soon as she heard the voice, her eyes suddenly jolting open. Takumi was training his bow on her, "You think I didn't see you slinking away, like a thief in the night? Did you run off to tell your new friend all of our military secrets—our strategies, our weaknesses? Well?! Speak, you Nohrian harlot!"

"Takumi," she gritted her teeth, "I know how this looks, and I understand that you're feeling hurt right now…"

"Hurt?!" he shouted, "Why should I feel hurt?! I never trusted that Nohrian scum! None of us should have! Just like we never should have trusted you!" She heard a waver in his voice and noticed that he drew his sleeve along his eyes as he approached and seized her by the arm.

"Takumi, don't do anything rash," she begged him.

"Shut up!" he shouted, "I'm going to do to you what my mother should have done a long time ago." She gasped. He scowled at her, "What are you giving me that look for?" Azura noticed that there were a pair of spearmen lined up behind the Hoshidan prince. They each took one of her arms as Takumi released her. "Haitaka, Bikira, see her off to the northern prison. She can rot there." Azura breathed a sigh of relief as the men yanked her forward. She had already been in so many prisons. What was one more?


	2. A Dragon's Decree

The morning was announced to them only by a dim haze of gray. No golden sunlight shimmered into the tents as the Nohrian royals rose and took stock of their surroundings, straightening out the hair that had been twisted and split between battle and rest. Their scuffle with the Hoshidans was over, but the real struggle was just beyond the horizon: they would have to seek their father's counsel regarding the disruption. They all bore the thought of war quietly in their hearts, but none of them dared say the word. Instead, they let it sink to the bottom of their consciousness and waited to see what the others would say as they all slowly drifted out of their tents.

Corrin was the last one to awaken, joining his brothers and sisters with heavy bags beneath his eyes. Still, they lifted into a smile when he heard Elise giggling not too far off. He walked more quickly in the direction of the laughter and spotted her, as well as Camilla with her hand over her mouth and Leo groping at the back of his coat. "This isn't funny, Elise!" he shouted, "G-G-Get it out!"

Camilla was the first to notice the approach of her brother, "Corrin, come over here, darling. Felicia brewed us all some coffee."

"Felicia?" Corrin scratched his head, "When did she get here?"

"You didn't see her?" his sister wondered, "She was tagging behind you so loyally when the Hoshidans attacked, and she was practically right under your feet the whole march. She was up even earlier than Xander this morning."

"Oh," he sighed, "I guess I was preoccupied. I'll have to apologize to her later."

"Can we deal with the matter at hand?!" Leo shouted, still fitfully rubbing his hands along his back.

"What's that?" Corrin blinked.

"Leo chastised our little Elise for playing with insects, so she dropped a grasshopper down his back," Camilla explained.

"I can still feel it moving! Help!" Leo cried.

Corrin squared himself with his brother's back and slapped it, ruffling the fabric and causing the offending insect to plop down harmlessly into the grass. "There we are," Corrin smiled, "Run along, little fellow." It sprang away and disappeared among the grass.

"Lady Camilla," they heard Felicia's voice, "I have another pot of coffee ready, and I got those scones you asked for!"

"Thank you, dear. Bring them here, if you will," the oldest Nohrian princess commanded.

Felicia did so, but stopped upon seeing Corrin. She said nothing and looked into his eyes for a moment, attempting to evaluate his body language.

"Good morning, Felicia," he saluted her, "Camilla told me about what all you've been up to. I'm sorry, I was so caught up in what was going on that I forgot to thank you for your contribution."

She smiled happily, "T-Think nothing of it, milord. I live to serve!"

"Well, we've got our coffee," the prince looked over the refreshments, "Why don't you go take a rest somewhere, Felicia? Or you can join us, if you like."

She held the back of her hand to her forehead, "W-Well, I am feeling a little tired… Maybe I'll go lay down for a while."

"Very good," he saw her off. The siblings gathered around as Camilla passed out scones and cups of coffee. Corrin and Leo each took quick swigs of their coffee followed by a bite of their scones, while Elise ignored the coffee altogether and swallowed the scone in a single bite.

Soon enough, they heard the clanking of armor as Xander appeared. He folded his arms and surveyed his siblings, nodding, "Good morning, everyone."

Camilla and Leo quietly sipped their coffee. "Good morning, Xander!" Elise chirped.

Corrin blinked a few times, waiting to hear what else his brother had to say.

"What's the matter, little prince?" Xander looked at him squarely, "Nothing to say to your big brother?"

"Hum?" he grunted, "Oh, sorry. It's just… 'Good morning?' Is that all? I figured you would, you know, launch right into a battle plan, or something."

Xander laughed, "I'm more than just a military commander, Corrin. I'm your brother. We made that clear as of yesterday, did we not?"

"I guess I'm just not used to being seen as an… equal," Corrin supposed, regretting the words as he spoke them, "Er, that's not quite what I mean, I just…"

Xander held up his hand, "It's all right. It's true, you've long been isolated the rest of us, so it stands to reason you wouldn't be used to seeing me as much more than a mentor."

"That's not quite what I—"

"In any case, today's agenda is as follows: we'll return to the castle and to father, to inform him of the events that transpired. Perhaps Corrin can shed some light on why the Hoshidans were on such high alert when we arrived."

"Ah, that's right. I have to talk to father about that. There was an attempt made on my life."

Xander's eyes widened, "What?! By whom? And why is this the first I'm hearing of it?"

"I forgot about it in the heat of battle, I was so busy trying to defuse the situation between you and Ryoma," Corrin looked to the side, "In any case, the details I can provide are scant, at best. There was a hooded figure in the square around Hoshido's Castle Shirasagi. Queen Mikoto was having a ceremony there, to introduce me to the public, but the hooded figure appeared and… I don't know, compelled my sword, Ganglari, to his hand, and then there was an explosion. The whole crowd of Hoshidan civilians was killed, and Queen Mikoto died protecting me. My memory is… hazy after that. Apparently, I went berserk and turned into a dragon."

"A dragon?" Leo piped up, "That's… interesting. I've heard tell of such things before, but mostly in a mythological sense. I didn't think there was anyone actually capable of something like that."

"Well," Xander glanced over at Camilla, who mirrored his expression, "it wasn't just for my entertainment that we were training you, Corrin. I'm more interested in this mysterious assassin that appeared. He used the sword father gave you?"

"That's right. It flew right off my belt," he nodded.

"I see. It's certainly worth asking father about, then," said the crown prince, "The Hoshidans blame Nohr for the attack, no doubt."

"I imagine so," Corrin agreed, "it did occur right after I fought a group of Faceless to protect Hinoka and Sakura…"

"They blame us for the Faceless, too?" Xander cocked an eyebrow.

"Huh?" Corrin's face screwed up, "Yeah. They said Nohrian mages send Faceless into Hoshido to harass its civilians because they can't send troops thanks to the queen's barrier."

"The queen's barrier?"

"I was told Queen Mikoto erected a magical barrier around the whole kingdom. He said it removed violent thoughts and the will to fight from the minds of those who transgress it."

Leo sputtered, and Camilla began to chuckle behind her palm. Xander's face softened as he stifled laughter that was pushing against his cheeks. Corrin felt his face get hot. "N-Now, now," the crown prince chided his siblings half-heartedly, "It's not fair to mock our brother, he knows very little of the world outside the fortress. Tell me, little prince, do you know of any such type of magic, let alone a person powerful enough to cast such a spell over an entire country, like Hoshido? Did you ever suppose that perhaps the Hoshidans were simply… lying to you?"

"A-Ah!" Corrin gasped, "Argh, and to think I took him at his word! What was I thinking?"

"It's all right, brother, you were just confused," Xander wiped his eyes, "Although… the level of imagination they used to try to brainwash you… it is quite amusing."

"So, why do the Faceless attack Hoshido, then?" Corrin wondered.

"Why does a thief rob his neighbor, brother?" the crown prince shrugged, "The beasts are indeed summoned by mages, but not every mage in Nohr is sanctioned by the army, you'll find."

"I… I see," Corrin sighed, "L-Let's hurry home to father. Maybe I'll feel better when talking about things with more honest folk…"

"Indeed," Xander's smile faded, "I'm glad you were cognizant enough, at least, to ignore those snakes in the grass when they tried to turn you against us."

The group continued to chat and eat their breakfast as the crisp morning air wore away, and before long, they were back on their mounts and heading toward the capital. Corrin would be seeing it for the second time in his life.

[...]

The lights of the castle cast the same low, gold glow that Corrin had noticed on his first foray into its chambers. The siblings walked slowly, so as not to make their footsteps excessively loud as they approached King Garon's chamber. When they approached the enormous double doors, Xander announced their presence and, upon hearing their father reply, they entered.

"What news do you bring, Xander?" the king asked, scanning the faces as they approached him.

"Unfortunately, we were routed quickly in our attempts to strike Hoshido. More importantly, however, you may have noticed that Corrin has returned along with us."

"I had noticed that," the king eyed Corrin scrupulously, "And I must confess, I'm surprised. I did not expect you to return, child."

Corrin started, "W-Why not?"

"I am certain the Hoshidan Queen told you of your true past. Of the death of Sumeragi. Knowing that, you would still return to us?"

"I-I would," he swallowed, "I… believe in Nohr, and I couldn't harm my family. Those people mean nothing to me."

"Is that so?" Iago appeared from beside the king's throne, as if he had suddenly materialized from the curtain, "A convenient excuse for you to come back and spy on our movements for your Hoshidan allies, I think, King Garon."

"What?" Corrin shouted in reply, "How dare you? I would never do such a thing!"

"Indeed," Xander added, "Corrin stood his ground against Prince Ryoma, and he attacked the other Hoshidan royals who came after us. In fact, if you look at the tip of his blade, you will notice blood upon it. I saw with my own eyes that that blood belongs to Princess Hinoka. Why would Corrin have attacked his own allies and risked his life like that if he were a spy?"

"Unfortunately, we only have your word as proof, Lord Xander," Iago cackled, "I recommend we remove the boy from the court immediately."

"Don't presume to give orders to any of us, Iago," Xander leered at him.

"Enough!" Garon grunted, "Iago's counsel is not without merit. However, Corrin claims to have embraced me and acts as my son. I believe he is owed some leniency in matters of loyalty. I will consult the Divine Dragon Anankos to resolve this matter."

"But, milord," Iago protested.

"Silence, Iago," Leo jabbed his finger at the royal adviser, "Father has made his position clear." Iago scowled and turned to watch in silence as the king lifted his head to the ceiling, where a gilded depiction of an ancient dragon stared back down at him. The royal children exchanged glances, wondering what the result would be and raising their eyebrows at one another, until eventually the king's head lowered itself and he cleared his throat.

"I have heard the edict of Anankos," the king proclaimed, "Corrin will be spared."

The Nohrian royals let out a collective sigh of relief. "Thank you, father," Corrin bowed, "Your kindness will not be forgotten."

"However," King Garon added, stone-faced, "he will be required to prove his loyalty to his kingdom and his capability as a ruler by completing a task."

Corrin stared into the king's eyes, "A task? …Very well, only name it, and I'll see it done."

"Word of rebellion has begun to spread among the Ice Tribals. I would ask you to go and put down this rebellion before it may begin," said King Garon.

Xander smiled, "Ah, what fine luck. Don't worry, brother: with our help, we'll quell this rebellion in a day without a doubt."

"You fail to understand," Garon indicated Xander, "This is a test of Prince Corrin's leadership. As such, the task must be completed alone."

"W-What?" Camilla gasped, "But… father, to ask him to quash a rebellion on his own in such a faraway place… surely you can see that that is impossible!"

"This is not open for debate," King Garon shook his head, "The boy must succeed to prove his worth as a prince, nothing less."

"Don't worry, Camilla," Corrin told her, "I… I engaged the royalty of Hoshido in combat. I can do this."

King Garon laughed, "That's the right attitude. Now, hurry along. I'll have the servants prepare provisions for you."

"As you command, father," Corrin bowed. The royals exited the chamber together, everyone but Corrin with their eyes on the floor.

"Thank you all for your support," Corrin said as they continued and came to a stop in the hall, "It means the world to me, but, as father said, I have to do this task alone. In order to prove I'm a Nohrian prince worth his salt… I'm asking you all, please, don't try to help me."

"But darling," Camilla cooed, "this is simply too cruel. Surely you see that such a task is impossible. It's not that I doubt you, I—"

"No, Camilla," he asserted, "I've been treated like a child for too long. If it'll convince father—if it'll get Iago to go back to hiding in the shadows, then it's something I simply must do."

"I admire your courage and your ambition, little prince," Xander nodded.

"Two things that often get men killed," Leo added.

"Leo, that's enough!" Camilla wagged her finger at him.

He frowned, "That's not what I meant, I just… Argh. I don't like this either. Something isn't right here, and I'd bet gold to grapes that Iago is involved. Take care, all right, brother?"

"Of course. I'll be working on my situational awareness too, Leo," he smiled.

"Right, then."

"Please come back soon," Elise insisted, "You _just_ got let out of the fortress, and I want to be able to spend lots more time playing with you, okay?"

Corrin patted her head, "I'd never abandon you, Elise."

[...]

The walls of the prison were icy down her back. Even her long hair did little to mitigate the chill emanating from the stone against which she was pressed. She hugged her knees tighter in an effort to strangle some more warmth from inside herself, but, unfortunately, the thin white dress did little as an insulator. It had been… she lost count, fourteen hours since she'd last seen a guard? The walls of the prison were high and dark, absent windows, so far as she could see, so she had no concept of time in the little cell. Bones of a tasteless variety of fish and a few dry soybeans sat in the bowl that had been dropped into the cell from which she was supposed to eat, quite like a dog. There was no water except in the moldy corner of the room.

So she was in another prison. This one reminded her a bit of her life back in Nohr, but at least there the servants would occasionally elect to feed her, particularly the kindhearted fat ladies who spent their whole days baking desserts. It was a wonder she remained as thin as she did, recalling all the eclairs she was force-fed, inevitably followed by a comment about her cute cheeks and eyes that resulted in her face being painfully groped and tugged at. She would have much preferred that to her current treatment… although perhaps not, given who the staff were at this prison. Being treated like that by one of the jagged-chinned naginata-wielders who trolled the halls… No, that would be much worse. Silence and darkness weren't so bad, anyway. She'd grown rather used to them.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard something strike the stones down the hall. Something crunchy and, at the same time, viscous: a skull was shoved into the wall. She looked up to the bars in front of her and saw a man drift into the room, not making a single sound as he approached. She saw a sliver of green hair in the meager light, and a purple scarf tied around his neck. "Good day, milady," he saluted her quietly, "I am Kaze, a ninja of Hoshido. I serve—that is, I _served_ the royal family… until recently."

She recognized the ninja and his name. The charming brother of Saizo, one of Ryoma's retainers. "So, why have you come for me?"

"There is… someone I wish to see," he explained laconically, "Someone in Nohr. Someone to whom I owe a kind of debt. I wonder if you might feel the same."

She understood, "Do you mean…?"

"I do. If we're going to pay him a visit, it is important that we leave before the guards discover my entry."

"Right," Azura nodded, "Lead the way."

The ninja picked the lock and seized her hand, escorting her out of the dark and into the blinding white flurries of snow that awaited them outside. He had apparently chipped his way through a gap in the stones around the fortress's walls.

Once again, the decision had been made for her.


	3. A Path Bent

Corrin listened to leaves and vines crack under his feet as he wandered through the dense forest. Any way he turned his head, the view was the same: foreboding, purplish horizons narrowed by thick green pillars that rose from the black and blue soil around his feet. He had heard stories about this place from Camilla, but she didn't treat it as such a daunting place—she remarked on how fun it was when she would play games with other girls out here during the Carnevale celebration. Although, now that he thought of it, he seemed to recall the mention of feeding a girl to a living tree. But that couldn't be true… could it?

He shivered as a gust of wind swept through the holler, shaking the leaves all around him into a vociferous chorus. The prince put his head back down and tried to continue forward, not looking at his surroundings.

He began to hear growls—or, at least, what seemed like growls—emanate from the undergrowth. Leaves would rustle and sticks would snap seemingly without reason. The prince drew a hastened breath, swallowed, and tried his best to keep his eyes low to the ground, but scanning for the exit to this maze. Chills seemed to breathe onto his back with every step, and it made him sick. His feet began to move faster: carrying himself out of this horrid forest quickly became his only objective.

Suddenly, in his mind's absence, he felt his face plant itself into something dense just in front of him. "Ow!" he started, putting his palm to his forehead. He looked at the hard structure and, seeing the familiar green of the forest, chuckled exasperatedly at his own paranoia. He patted the impediment, as if to excuse himself, but realized that it did not have the firmness of wood. He looked up to see a hulking form with a black, holed mask attached to its neck, welded around its face like an Iron Maiden, a torture device which Camilla had taught him about.

He skipped back a step, "F-Faceless! Here, in the forest? But… why?" He studied the creature as it moaned and dribbled through the helmet, thinking of his eldest brother's words: many mages in Nohr could summon Faceless, but not all were sanctioned by the Nohrian army. But why would someone deploy the beasts in this forest.

The prince broke from his internal monologue to note that the creature was now bull-rushing him, angling its shoulders like a trapezoid, poised to smash him with an enormous fist when it closed the distance. He yelped as he saw it approach and tried to dodge, but found his feet rooted to the ground in fear and shock. Had he come as far as denying his Hoshidan brethren just to die in this forest.

Evidently not. A silvery gleam split his vision in half and, in a moment, the beast staggered back and fell over, dead. "Milord!" he heard someone cry, "Are you all right?"

When his senses returned to him, he realized it had been Felicia, and he saw his maid shuffling down a muddy hill to reach him. "Yes," he said quietly, then he shouted, "Yes, yes! Thank you, Felicia."

"Oh, thank goodness," she sighed, wiping her brow. When she stopped looking at her feet, she stumbled down the hill and fell over herself for a few feet before landing on her face upon the forest bed, covered in soil and twigs.

Corrin hurried over to pick her up, "Are _you_ all right, Felicia?"

"I-I'm good!" she sprang up, dusting off her apron, "Just tripped. No biggie." She gave him a nervous laugh.

"Well, in any case," he resumed, "I'm glad you showed up when you did. But why did you come? I asked everyone not to help me."

"You asked your _siblings_ not to help you," she corrected him, "As clumsy and useless as I may sometimes be, I'm still your retainer, milord. It's my duty to keep you safe."

Corrin smiled, "Ha. You're too hard on yourself, Felicia. You really saved the day."

"I wouldn't exactly call it saved yet, milord," she contradicted him, pointing over his shoulder.

The prince turned around and saw another mob of Faceless bubbling out of the woods, shifting around and pushing aside trees like one black mass. Corrin gritted his teeth and gripped his Yato, "Will you join me, Felicia?"

"I pledge my life in service of milord," she nodded.

One of the beasts came forward and swatted at them. Corrin evaded the blow and struck the monster in the stomach, but found his blade wedged in the polluted mass. He tried to pull it out quickly, even going so far as putting his foot on the creature's stomach for leverage as he pulled, all while Felicia threw a few knives at the mass surging toward them. Corrin finally freed his blade and lopped the head off of their aggressor, whereupon it disappeared into a fine purple mist, as did the body. He cocked his eyebrow, but then moved to strike at another monster that was surging forward at them. He felled it, but already felt sweat gathering on his brow, and he could still hear the ferocious, slobbering grunts of the beasts as they surged closer.

"Argh," he grunted, "Should we retreat? There are too many of them!"

"I doubt we'd get out of the forest before they caught up to us, milord," Felicia answered, a noticeable shake in her voice.

"But we can't just sit here!" he shouted back, "What can we do…?"

The query was answered when the pair heard hooves breaking through the foliage, and an onyx gleam cut down one of the approaching monsters, which gurgled angrily as it fell. "I can't believe I managed to catch up to you!" the figure rejoiced. Corrin could make out that it was a young knight with vaguely silver hair and emerald green eyes. He appeared very pleased with himself.

Corrin continued to scrutinize him, "Thank you… I'm sorry, who are you, and why were you following me?"

"Huh?" the knight blinked, "Hey, don't say it like that! You make me sound like some kind of stalker, or something. Can't an old friend rejoice to see his buddy?"

The prince looked around and then pointed to himself, "Are you talking about me?"

"Of course," he laughed, "do you see any other Nohrian princes and/or best friends of mine out here?"

"Um," Felicia stammered, "I hate to interrupt, but we still have a sort of problem on our hands."

"Right!" the knight turned to face the helmeted creatures, "Milord, if you'll stay close to me, we can break out of the forest up ahead, but we'll need to deal with these monsters first, to ensure we have enough time."

"So be it," Corrin held up his Yato, "we'll follow your lead."

"You trust him, Lord Corrin?" Felicia worried.

"It's either follow him and have a chance at living or get swallowed up in this forest," the prince shrugged, "I pick Option A." Felicia agreed and the trio charged forward. The knight swung his blade horizontally, clipping the Faceless at their torsos and prompting them to fall over. Corrin and Felicia ran close behind hopping over the fallen forms. Felicia threw her knives as near as she could to the beast's throats, hoping to achieve a similar effect, and Corrin stabbed and cut at the beasts as they were staggered by the strikes of his companions.

The grunts and furious footsteps began to subside a bit as the three wanderers kept running, hearing their own ragged breathing more than anything. Eventually, as if taking a collective gasp, they broke out of the line of trees and stumbled into a patch of blanched rocks, whereupon Corrin and Felicia fell over themselves, forcing the knight to come to a halt and rejoin them.

The young man reached out a hand to Corrin first, "Everything okay?"

He took it and stood, "I'm fine. Thank you." Turning around, the prince offered his own hand to Felicia and picked her up. "I never did catch your name," he said, facing the knight once more.

"You don't remember?" the knight frowned, "It's Silas. Ring any bells?"

Corrin rubbed his chin, "Now that I think of it, that name does sound familiar. I remember a few misadventures of trying to escape the castle and having lunch in secret places… That was you?"

"You _do_ remember!" Silas practically jumped for joy, "Yes! When you were sequestered in that fortress, they stopped letting me see you, so I became a knight in the hopes that I'd get to see you again someday, even if it was as my commander."

Corrin frowned, "And to think, I barely remember you. I'm sorry, Silas. You must be so disappointed."

"Are you kidding?" he laughed, "I'm as happy as I've ever been. I found my best friend, just like I hoped. My whole life's plan has led up to this moment."

"I'm afraid I'm not worth all that, Silas," Corrin rubbed the back of his neck, "you flatter me."

"Nonsense," the knight shook his head, "I found you, so now I can swear my fealty to you. I'm your humble knight, milord, and I'll do whatever you ask of me."

"No need for fealty," the prince answered, "You saved my life. We stand as equals in my estimation."

"Thank you, milord," Silas smiled, "but I'll still be happy to assist you in all your endeavors. Speaking of, what are you doing this far out from the capital? Why go through those eerie woods?"

"I'm under a kind of probation," he explained, "The short version is, I was tasked with suppressing a rebellion from the Ice Tribe."

"Ah, and your troops were cut down in those woods," Silas sighed, "That makes sense, although it does complicate matters."

Corrin shook his head, "I didn't have any troops with me."

The knight jumped, "What?! Then how were you going to halt the Ice Tribe?"

"My sharp wit and boundless charisma?" the prince gave him a sheepish smile.

"Sounds more like someone was trying to get you killed," Silas folded his arms, "Who put you up to this?"

"King Garon."

"The king?! But why? He wouldn't send his own son into certain death like this, it just doesn't make sense."

"A lot of what King Garon is doing lately doesn't make much sense to me," Corrin nodded, "but that's a problem for later. Right now, I have to prove my loyalty to Nohr and end that rebellion."

"All right," Silas nodded, "then I'll go with you."

"I appreciate it," the prince said, "but I don't think you should. I was assigned to perform this task alone."

"Well," the knight supposed, "you are performing it alone, you just happened to recruit an ally along the way. It's still all your mission to stop the rebellion, right? I'm just a tool to get you closer to that end."

"Silas, I don't think of you as—"

"I know you don't, but if you pretend to, maybe you can bend the rules a little."

Corrin smiled, "Well, I can see you've got more than strength going for you, Silas. All right, you can join our small diplomatic party. With any luck, we won't need the extra force, but it does feel good having a few extra hands on deck."

Silas thanked him and looked out over the horizon, which was gleaming silver as a sharp wind cut through the three of them. "The Ice Tribe lands are due north, milord," the knight reported, "By your leave."

"At once," Corrin nodded, taking his first few steps toward the snow-blanketed hills.

[…]

"It just doesn't make sense!" Ryoma growled, balling his fist and looking at the bandages adorning his sister's shoulder, "Why would he go with them, knowing all he knew, seeing all he saw, why would he still choose them?"

"He's just confused," Hinoka concluded, "They've probably had him cooped up for so long, he doesn't know what to believe anymore. He'll figure things out on his own time and come back to us, I'm sure of it."

"I fear we don't have time to wait for that," Ryoma shook his head, "Don't forget, those Nohrians appeared that day to lay siege to our home. King Garon had mother assassinated, and then he planned to finish us off while we were wounded. It's only because we fought so hard that they were forced to back off."

"You're right, as always," she nodded, "but what else can we do? Nohr will invade us whether or not Corrin comes back, so why not just try to wait it out and hold our breath?"

"I can't accept that," the samurai declared, "There has to be another way."

"What's that?" Hinoka cocked an eyebrow.

Ryoma cast his gaze out the castle window, "Instead of lying here, waiting for Nohr to come and bite us when we're cornered, we need to take the fight to Nohr."

"What?" his sister started, "We barely have enough people to defend our capital as it is! You want to send troops _away_ from home?"

"Think of it this way," he answered, "If we remain here, we can fortify our home all we like and do our best not to be overrun, but the grim reality is that if Nohr's might makes it this far, we're as good as finished. If we attack them first, with greater speed and power, however, and dethrone King Garon…"

"You think the chaos of the power vacuum would be enough to end this before it gets started?" she finished for him.

He nodded, "Exactly. Even if they transition power easily, the Nohrian people will be too terrified of more Hoshidan retaliation to want to go to war."

"Are you sure about that? What if they just swear vengeance instead?"

"Then we're no worse off than we are now, and they've lost the strength of their leadership. Plus, we stand a better chance of converting Corrin to our side if we invade, don't we?"

"I suppose there's a possibility…"

"I believe it's our only choice, Hinoka," he declared firmly, "Can I count of you?"

"Of course, brother," she bowed, "I'll get Sakura and Takumi and brief them about our discussion."

"Thank you," the samurai replied, "I'll begin devising some approach strategies with Yukimura. We'll mobilize as soon as it's feasible."

[…]

Azura's eyes were pinned to the ground, mostly. She scanned the mauve soil around her feet and lamented the cold snow that stung her bare soles as it clung to her skin. All the same, she kept walking forward, not bothering to look up at her destination. She knew Kaze would keep an eye on her, and she knew that looking forward would only fill her with disappointment about how much farther she had yet to go.

"My lady, will you permit me a question?" she heard. It shocked her and made her heart skip a beat, for the only indication of Kaze's presence in the hours that they had been traveling was the sight of his shoes tramping down the snow just a few feet in front of her that she could see in her periphery. The sound of his voice threw her off tremendously.

"Uh, very well. What is it?"

"You will forgive me if I assume incorrectly, but… well, you did not greet Lord Corrin with the same verve that the rest of the Hoshidan royalty did, and yet, now you join me in trekking hundreds of miles to track him down… why is that?"

"What drives you to ask such a question?"

"I suppose it's mostly curiosity—a ninja has a natural tendency to probe others for information. Moreover, I get the sense that there is something about Lord Corrin that you find very important. Am I correct?"

"More than you know, Kaze. But again, why ask? It does you no good to know that."

"On the contrary, ever since my brother entered into Lord Ryoma's service and I became familiar with you, I have always been interested in you, Lady Azura."

"I hardly think this the time for such things, Kaze."

"No, no… I beg milady's pardon, I didn't mean to present things in that way. What I mean is, I believe you have, to put it bluntly, a very big secret, Lady Azura. And secrets disquiet me. As, I imagine, based on your typical demeanor, they also disquiet you. I suppose what I'm asking is… is there something you'd like to share, Lady Azura?"

Azura felt her knuckles tightening as her fists gripped the fringes of her dress. She refused to look up at him. Of course she wanted to tell him, but the only thing she would "share" in so doing would be more pain and despair. "No, nothing so grave," she answered, "I'm curious about Lord Corrin and our oddly similar situations. I find him interesting as a person, too. That's why I've chosen to come along with you, Kaze. I want to see what more he can tell me."

"I see," he adjusted his scarf, "Very well, thank you. I apologize for any perception you may have of impudence on my part."

She murmured in the negative, but her eyes remained upon the ground and her mouth felt as if it were slowly being frozen shut.

[…]

That brat and his last-minute rescues, Iago cursed him in his thoughts. How dare the little whelp escape from the forest alive? King Garon was too stupid to recognize the danger the boy posed. Even if he didn't pose any, Iago wasn't particularly mindful: to kill him would mean to be one step closer to securing the crown of Nohr. The prince was the uniting thread among the royal children, and so to kill him would drive them all to despair, and then they would be easy picking. After that, it would simply be a matter of disposing of the senile man they revered as a ruler… It would be so _easy_ —just a spot of poison in the wine at dinner, every night for a few weeks, and then…

He inhaled deeply and relished in the thought. It could all be his. It _would_ all be his. These fools would learn their place, if only he calmed down and took his time.

In due time. He repeated that mantra to calm himself, watching the prince's menagerie walk into the blinding snowfall that covered the Ice Tribe lands.

All in due time.


	4. The Chill of Revolution

Corrin felt his knees shaking, on the verge of knocking together as he trudged forward. He felt the snow compounding on his feet and, for once in his life, regretted the fact that he seldom wore shoes. He dug his face into his elbow and used his arm as a shield from the icy wind as he tried to keep pushing forward. He grimaced as Felicia walked daintily in front of him.

Silas was scanning ahead of them, cupping his hands over his eyes to focus on something notable within the sea of white that was confronting them. He dropped his hands to the reins of his horse and led it in his lord's direction. "The Ice Tribe village is just a few miles further north. I can see it from here," he nodded.

"G-G-Great," Corrin answered, feeling like he was breathing in icicles, "Th-That's all, huh? Miles. Plural."

"If it makes you feel any better, we're more than halfway," Silas added.

Corrin shook his head, "It doesn't."

"Come on, Lord Corrin," Felicia seized his hand and was gripping it tightly, "We'll never get there if you keep moving so slow."

"I'm… right behind you, Felicia," he breathed, "Just, uh… let me… Um, I'll be with you in a second… Say, does anyone else feel like they could use a nap?"

"Lord Corrin?" Silas's eyebrows arched, "Are you feeling all right?"

The prince fell face-first into the snow, "I'm just gonna… lay down for a minute. Y-You guys go on ahead."

"Shoot," Silas frowned, "Felicia, will you help me? We need to get him to the village fast, or he'll die of hypothermia."

"R-Right," the maid trotted over and helped Silas load the prince onto his steed.

"Honestly," Silas slapped his reddening cheeks, "I don't know how you're staying so composed in this weather, Felicia. You're a dedicated and hardened servant. My eyes are watering from the wind."

"Y-Yeah," she muttered, twiddling her fingers, "Th-That's weird, huh? G-Guess I'm just, you know, that good. Haha." Her laugh had no humor in it.

Silas glanced at her, but said nothing and went back to listening to his horse trot begrudgingly over the snow. Once, he swore it looked back and snorted at him. In any case, Silas kept his eyes forward: there was no end in his mind but delivering his lord to the Ice Tribe village. Once that was done, they could figure out everything else, but until he was there, well… there could be no telling what would happen if they failed.

[…]

"Good people of Hoshido… I will not fail you!" Ryoma held out his fist and clutched it to his chest, "I know many of you are feeling frightened in this uncertain time. For countless centuries, Nohr and Hoshido have struggled against one another, but this time… This time what the Nohrians have done is unforgiveable! They have murdered our queen in cold blood!"

A shout of anger surged through the crowd. They raised their fists, as well as a great many farming implements.

"For too long, we've been forced to suffer the effects of Nohr's avarice! Queen Mikoto was wise and kind, but, ultimately, her kindness was her greatest fault… it extended to naïveté. And while I owe my mother the greatest and utmost respect for her tenure as queen, as acting king of Hoshido, it has become my obligation to correct her mistakes. To that end, I ask that you join me… join me in fighting for our country!"

Shouts of approval traveled through the crowd, as well as a few echoes of "Death to the Nohrian scum!"

"But heed me carefully, my brothers and sisters," the samurai went on, "It is not enough to be angry. Our will must be strong, unbreakable. We must be intelligent. We must be organized. We must be united."

The crowd agreed and nodded their heads, looking solemnly at their neighbors.

"Therefore," he continued, "I stand before you today to announce that I will be taking the lead of a campaign against Nohr."

The heads in the crowd quickly turned to one another, whispering and chattering back and forth.

"I know you may think this strange," Ryoma nodded, "but we have sat and defended ourselves for too long. There comes a day when a man who is pushed must stand up, dust himself off and say, 'No more!' Beginning today, fellow Hoshidans, we are all that man. We must refuse to accept the indignity of Nohr's oppression!"

Cheers erupted again. Hinoka looked away from her brother on the dais and over her shoulder to see her sister's eyes and cheeks taut. It wasn't an expression of fear, but it certainly wasn't of joy or anger.

"I will step down, now, to allow my brother, Hoshido's new high prince, to speak a few words before he joins me on my campaign." Ryoma nodded at the crowd and stepped away from the center of the square, joining his sisters and folding his arms while standing in line with them.

"Thank you," Takumi looked at his brother while assuming the position before his audience, "I'm honored to serve as the high prince alongside my brother. King Ryoma's words are clear, and they are sage. We can and must fight back against Nohr. We won't be a bunch of cowards who drop to our knees and hide when attacked! We'll deal to Nohr a blow so savage, they'll never consider coming after us again!"

The crowd jumped and shouted in concurrence with their high prince.

"Because it's important to remember just who was responsible for all this," Takumi went on, bending forward and glaring at the audience. Ryoma cocked his eyebrow at his sisters, both of whom shrugged. "Some of you were there the day Queen Mikoto—my mother—was assassinated. You all saw what happened there. You know who's responsible: it's Prince Corrin, the queen's own son! Those contemptible Nohrians forced one of our own to turn traitor, and don't think for a second they wouldn't do the same to you and yours, given the chance!"

"The lost prince?" a Hoshidan cried out.

"He killed Queen Mikoto?"

"Those black-hearted Nohrians!"

"Matricide! Will horrors never cease for Hoshido?"

"Not until all of Nohr is broken!"

"Death to Nohr! Death to Nohr! Death to Nohr!"

Takumi stepped back and smiled slightly. Ryoma and their sisters came up and formed a circle with him. "What d'you think, Ryoma? Worked pretty well, didn't it?" the archer asked.

"Yes, but…" he turned and saw a woman clutching her child and crying as the crowd shouted, "Be careful how much you say. These people are already fearful, so telling them that their own loved ones could kill them is untrue and will incite panic that is not constructive to our cause."

He frowned, "I… suppose you're right. I'm… sorry, it just makes me angry. Him, I mean."

"We know how you're feeling, Takumi," Hinoka concurred, putting her hand on his shoulder, "Just try to set your frustration aside, and we'll get through this."

The Hoshidan high prince nodded, "I'm going to go take a few more practice shots with my Fujin Yumi, and then get to bed early."

"Good idea," Ryoma patted his brother's back and sent him off, "We'll have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

[…]

The cottony blankets flew off of the prince when he jolted awake. "What?" he started, "Where am I? What happened? Silas, Felicia!"

"Right here, milord," Felicia sung, appearing with a tray bearing three teacups. She handed one to him.

"We're both here," Silas nodded, sitting on a chair in a corner of the white-walled room, "We were worried about you."

"Your friends saved you, stranger," Corrin heard. Turning to the side of the bed, he saw a man with silvery blue hair and sharp eyes looking down at him, "A little longer, and you would have been consumed by the cold."

Corrin looked at both of them, "I already owe them everything. Add one more thing to the list."

"I don't mind giving you time to rest, stranger," the man said, cupping his chin, "but I do have to inquire as to your business here. I am the chieftain of this tribe, so it's important that I know the reason for your visit."

"The chieftain," Corrin blinked, "You? Ah, forgive my impertinence, sir! I'm sorry to intrude on your home!"

He laughed, "Fret not. We may be tribals, but we are not feral, as King Garon's propaganda often depicts us. We do not, however, receive many visitors to our land, so I must again insist on knowing your purpose here."

Corrin glanced at Silas, who nodded, and then at Felicia, who stood silently, holding her empty tray and looking at her reflection in it.

"You must be someone of considerable importance, seeing that my daughter decided to travel with you," the Ice Tribe chieftain pressed.

"Your daughter?" the prince blinked, "Felicia?"

"That's right," the chieftain cut him off, "and she referred to you as 'milord,' so I would like an explanation sooner rather than later."

Corrin swallowed, "V-Very well. What is your name, chieftain?"

"I am called Kilma," he answered.

"Chieftain Kilma," Corrin rose out of bed, "I am Prince Corrin of Nohr."

"What?" he started, "A Nohrian prince, in my home? What are you plotting? Is this some kind of coup?"

"No, sir!" the prince protested, "I'm a diplomatic envoy. There's no plot here, I'm simply asking you to end your plans for rebellion."

Kilma scowled, "Well isn't that a fine thing. A Nohrian prince comes under my roof with my daughter enslaved and asks me to give up my rebellion."

"Father, it's not like that!" Felicia protested.

"Oh?" he cocked an eyebrow, "So, when Garon's thugs broke down my door and demanded your servitude as tribute, that was… what, a peace offering?"

"It's true that King Garon took me from you," she frowned, "but Lord Corrin isn't to blame—he's different! I couldn't ask for a kinder master!"

"Don't call him that under my roof," the chieftain growled, "The Ice Tribe has no masters."

"Father, please…" Felicia groaned.

"For what it's worth," they heard another voice appear from the hallway, "I agree with her assessment." Kilma and Corrin watched Flora enter. She looked down at Corrin first, wearing a sort of apathetic frown, and then focused on her father.

"You too, Flora?" Kilma blinked, "You think this man is any different from King Garon?"

"He's quite different," the blue-haired maid agreed, "In all my years, I could never have wished for a kinder soul to serve… But that doesn't mean I'm without my suspicions."

"Flora," Corrin watched her carefully, "Please, you must know I mean you no harm."

"You're armed," she pointed to the Yato that was attached to his belt.

"I had to travel through a forest full of deadly creatures to get here," he countered, "Besides, if you thought I meant to make war, why would I only bring a single knight and a maid with me?"

"Maybe all your other men were killed in that forest," she pointed out, "Or maybe you're every bit as arrogant as King Garon, and you thought you could kill all of us with only that."

"Flora!" Felicia shouted.

"No, she's right," Corrin nodded, "it's hard for me to come here on my father's orders and claim it's all in the name of peace. I've learned a lot about the type of ruler my father is recently, and I can only imagine how difficult it's been to act as his vassal, Chieftain Kilma. But I do plan to make peace, no matter the cost. As such, I'm willing to do anything you ask in exchange for you ending the rebellion."

"Anythting I ask?" the chieftain stared at him.

"Anything," the prince repeated, "If there's a task you need completed, I'll see it done. If you need supplies, you'll have them. If you want your daughters returned to you… It may be difficult, but I'll make it so."

Kilma took a few paces around the room before stopping to look at Corrin, then down at the Yato, and then back up at Corrin's face. He laughed, "There is a surprising determination in your eyes, young man. And, I concede, an honesty that I did not anticipate. I see that you wield the sacred Yato. Tribal legends say that its wielder will lead our world to peace, but they also proscribe caution for false prophets, for the wicked may just as well wield the blade."

Corrin held up the sword, "The Yato… a legendary blade… Yes, Ryoma told me something similar. What of it?"

"If only the Rainbow Sage were here," Kilma sighed, "that man helped in the forging of the Yato. Out of anyone, he would know if you were destined to be the blade's true wielder."

"Do you want me to seek out this Rainbow Sage?" the prince asked.

"No, we haven't time for that," the chieftain shook his head, "Although, I do long to know what he would say about you… Let me make my request of you, prince of Nohr."

"Please," he invited.

"I ask you a simple question," he pointed an ashen, bony finger at the prince, "What is it you desire more than anything else in this world?"

Corrin looked at his chest, then back up, "More than anything else, I want everyone in the world to be at peace."

"Hmm," Kilma bowed his head, "A pretty answer, but how true does it ring?"

"Father," Felicia piped up, "Could I say something?"

He looked back, "Of course."

She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, rose onto her toes, and then fell back down and spoke, "Father, I was beside Lord Corrin when he and the other Nohrian royals engaged the Hoshidan royals in battle. In the course of the battle, the Hoshidan princess Hinoka was wounded, and could easily have been executed, but Lord Corrin stepped in and prevented it. He allowed an enemy leader to escape with her life because she was his sister, and because he didn't want blood to be shed. Father, you know neither Flora nor I would say anything that we didn't think was in the best interest of the Ice Tribe… so I'm telling you now, resisting King Garon is an effort destined for failure. His Highness won't live forever, and when his reign ends… I think that we can rely on Lord Corrin. Even while he's alive, to have an ally in his court would surely—"

"All right, all right," the Ice Tribe's chieftain held his hand out to her, "I have heard your counsel, my daughter. What does your sister think?"

"I… believe in Lord Corrin, too," Flora answered, looking him up and down.

"You do?" Kilma started, "And what prompted this sudden change of heart?"

"Lord Corrin offered himself to you," she answered, "He didn't tell you to drop to your knees and submit by threat of death. He begged for your compliance to spare our tribe, and offered you anything you desired in return. Any servant of King Garon would never stoop to such a level. But milord is no servant of King Garon, and that's why I chose to go on serving him." The maid smiled at her lord.

He reciprocated, "Flora, that's… thank you. That means a lot."

Kilma folded his arms and looked at both of his daughters, and then at Corrin. He closed his eyes and kept them closed for a few minutes, leaving Corrin and his companions waiting, listening to and watching their own bated breath. Finally, the chieftain reopened his eyes. "Ah, what can I possibly do? My own daughters have told me their feelings, and you stand before me as the Yato's wielder. I don't feel comfortable ceding my home like this, but… if it's to protect the tribe…"

"You won't have to cede anything, chieftain," Corrin responded, "Not if I have anything to say about it. Your compliance is the first step on a path to a new Nohr."

The chieftain closed his eyes and smiled, looking down, "Careful: if you say things like that so forcefully, I might start believing you."

"So then…" Corrin hesitated, not wanting to be the one to say it.

"There will be no more talk of revolution," Kilma looked up, "Not from the Ice Tribe, at any rate. I have no faith in King Garon, but with a successor like you… Hm. Perhaps Nohr's future is looking a bit brighter than this cold heart of mine was willing to believe."

"Thank you, chieftain," Corrin bowed, "Words can't adequately express my gratitude."

"You ought to thank my daughters," he shrugged, "Without them, I would never have agreed, but since they both seem to be so confident in you, well… maybe I can give you a chance, at least."

"Felicia, Flora," Corrin looked at both of them, "Thank you. I couldn't ask for better retainers… or better friends." He came forward and wrapped them both in an embrace.

The two maids blushed. "Oh, uh, no problem, Lord Corrin," Felicia stuttered, surprised by the sudden warmth.

"Milord," Flora stared straight ahead, unable to move as his grip tightened, then loosened, and he moved away.

"So," Kilma glared at the prince, suggesting he didn't appreciate the sudden gesture, "What will you do now?"

"Silas and I will head back to Nohr and tell King Garon of your pledge," the prince reported.

"With milord's permission, I'd like to come back too," Felicia waved her hand.

"Felicia?" Corrin looked at her, "Why? You're back with your father now, aren't you?"

"If both Flora and I leave the court for good, King Garon will know something is wrong. Plus… it wouldn't be right to leave you without a retainer, Lord Corrin."

"Your loyalty honors me," Corrin bowed, "Chieftain Kilma… by your leave."

"Don't go just yet," the chieftain halted him, putting his hand forward, "If you're taking my daughter with you, we'll have to give you some supplies so you don't keel over on the way back."

Corrin grinned, "Much obliged, chieftain."

He lowered his head to whisper into the prince's ear and jabbed a finger into his sternum, "I'm counting on you to get this right, for the sake of my tribe, and my daughters. Don't disappoint me. You won't like what happens if you do."

Corrin nodded solemnly, "I won't fail."

When Kilma turned around and took his daughters from the room, Corrin also spun around and wiped his brow, facing Silas and letting out a long sigh.


	5. A Vision Defied

The walk back from the Ice Tribe lands, was, of course, no less punishing. Even with tarps, blankets, hot drinks, and a stable supply of food, Corrin, Felicia, and Silas had a difficult time trudging through the snow yet again as they moved toward Windmire. Silas and Corrin had difficulty, at least—Felicia merely followed along at their pace. Her biggest obstacle remained her own lack of coordination, as she slipped on slick patches of snow no less than twice on the group's return trip.

As they began to progress out of the snow-blanketed hills and toward the no more comforting blackness of the forest, Corrin advised that they take a more circuitous route around the disquieting woods, fearing that whatever force had come after him in his initial foray would remain and strike again if they returned. Silas and Felicia were quick to agree, even if it added more time and walking to the trip.

Their long march thus continued, and, after a time, Silas found his liege grasping his chin and searching the distance for something. With little else to do, he drew up beside him, "Lord Corrin, is something wrong?"

He blinked out of his stupor, "Huh? Oh, no. Everything's fine."

"You seemed lost in thought."

"I was wondering about strategy upon returning home. What I'm going to tell my father about this whole affair… and whether or not he'll believe me."

"I wouldn't concern yourself much with that. I think, given the trials you've been through, he'll be glad to see you alive."

"…You haven't met my father."

"I haven't, but as tough as I've heard King Garon is, I imagine he has a real soft spot for his children. I mean, he gave you this test to give you a chance to prove yourself, right?"

"I don't think you really grasp the full breadth of the situation, Silas."

"I'm sorry, is something going on? Did you have a fight with the king? Is there trouble on the court?"

"I'm beginning to," Corrin paused, watching his own feet, "doubt some of my father's intentions. I'm worried about the future of Nohr."

Silas arched his eyebrows, "That's no reason to get upset, Lord Corrin. Everyone worries about the future from time to time."

"Silas," Corrin sighed, "I, uh… think I might need to hash this out on my own for a bit."

"Oh," the knight started, "I'm sorry. I'll leave you to it. But don't be afraid to call for me if you need something."

"Of course," he nodded.

[…]

Azura finally noticed the shift to rock and clay. She had been walking on cold plain for so long that he had willed her feet to be numb, but now she finally became aware that the sting of ice no longer stabbed into her soles every few seconds. She let out a sigh of relief and continued on thinking.

She was thinking of the song that her mother sang for her, long ago, in a place that seemed now lost to time. She remembered the lyrics clearly and recalled being mystified by them. The strange words seemed to possess a power all their own and they didn't feel like her own even when they were sung in her voice. Her thoughts had drifted to those lyrics again, and now she found herself pondering a particular verse.

 _Embrace the dark you call a home._

 _Gaze upon an empty white throne._

 _A legacy of lies._

 _A familiar disguise._

 _Sing with me a song of conquest and fate,_

 _The black pillar cracks beneath its weight._

 _Night breaks through the day, hard as a stone,_

 _Lost in thoughts all alone._

"What are you doing?"

Azura yelped in surprise and saw Kaze staring back at her. "I'm sorry?" she muttered.

"You seemed to be singing something. I was wondering why," Kaze answered. "You haven't been much for traveling music so far," he smiled.

She felt her face grow hot, "My apologies. I was ruminating on a particular song, and I suppose I started singing it unconsciously."

Kaze nodded, "I believe I've heard that song before—the melody, at least. You sang it in Lady Mikoto's court at least once, didn't you?"

"I did. The song is very ancient: it goes back to the days when the dark and light dragons ruled alongside humans, if sources are to be believed."

"Incredible. A relic brought to life through voice. I can see why such a song would be precious to you. And why it might inspire so much thought."

"You know, Kaze, it occurs to me that we left Saizo in Hoshido. Don't you want your brother to join us?"

"No. Saizo is strong and capable, a peerless ninja and a faithful retainer to Lord Ryoma, but he is hotheaded and stubborn to a… sometimes aggravating degree. As safe as I would feel with my brother at my side, I also believe that his presence would be more of a threat to my objective than an advantage."

"Your 'objective…' We're talking about Corrin, right?"

"Correct. I want to know why Lord Corrin left his Hoshidan family in favor of the Nohrian royals. It's not to say I blame him, but, still…"

"I understand, Kaze. I'm similarly conflicted; that's why we're both going to see him, after all. I don't think anything has changed about him. He seems to be the same person I met that evening by the lakebed."

"Indeed, nothing about him suggests he's being manipulated, so he must have some reason. Some incredibly strong, compelling reason that I'm failing to understand."

Azura nodded and bent her head, her closed eyes aimed at her own chest. "What are you planning?" she whispered.

[…]

All in due time.

All in due time, he would expose the lying prince to his father, and then the boy would be executed on the spot! Oh, how delightful it would be to finally be rid of that idiot boy! He would have to try not to giggle too much as he watched the little head fly off its shoulders. What a day! What a joy!

"What in the Dark Dragon's name are you so smiley about?"

Iago turned and started when he heard Leo's voice approaching him down the dim hallway, "Huh? L-Lord Leo! Ah, I apologize! I was only taking in the smell of the tomato soup being prepared by the kitchen. Wonderful don't you think?"

"Of course," the prince's tone did not suggest he shared the sorcerer's mood, "Tomatoes always smell delicious, regardless the state they're in. You, however, are remarkably unlike a tomato."

Iago blinked, "Uh, milord will forgive me if I fail to take his meaning."

"Don't play dumb with me like you do with the rest of my father's court," Leo scowled, "You're always up to some ill business, so to see you smiling at anything assures me that it can't be good. Now, talk: what little scheme do you have cooking up?"

"Milord's insinuation wounds me," Iago doubled back, "I have no schemes planned. I only think of the good of Nohr, and how best to serve the royal family."

Leo rolled his eyes and walked past him, "You're lucky I don't have any proof. One day, I will."

Iago watched the prince as he walked down the hall and turned the corner. He balled his fists. Meddling little wretch. Ever since that Leo was a boy, he always felt the need to stick his nose into other people's business. He knew he would never be strong or stand out on his own, so he tore down others to distinguish himself. As a child, that manifested in tattling on the other children. As an adult, it had meant that the prince went around accusing anyone who looked at him wrong like he was the chief inquisitor of Nohr.

Someday, Iago assured himself, he would make the little brat pay for those remarks.

"Master Iago," he found a butler approaching him, "His Majesty requests your presence. He anticipates Lord Corrin's return in the near future."

"Right," Iago tried to stifle the anger in his throat, "Of course. Thank you, Jakob. I'll report to His Majesty's chambers immediately."

"Very good, sir," the silver-haired butler nodded, "Would you like me to prepare you a cup of tea for your wait?"

"Certainly, that would be nice," the sorcerer said.

"As you wish," Jakob complied, "I shall bring it to you when the Lords Xander and Leo as well as Ladies Camilla and Elise are all assembled. They will be waiting along with you."

Iago told him he understood and dismissed the butler. Of course he would have to spend more time surrounded by those sickening brats that the king had sired. It only figured that his moment of ultimate triumph would have to be spent in their company. But it wouldn't bother him. No, he told himself, it wouldn't, because when he finally succeeded, each and every one of them would see their darling brother executed before their very eyes, and it would mean the first step toward the fulfillment of his ambition.

[…]

The three of them were gathered before the gate, several yards away, behind a nearby building. Corrin watched both of his companions and gave a sigh before nodding to each of them. "Silas, Felicia," he said, "I can't thank you enough for what you've done. That said, I have to ask you both to leave me now."

"We understand, Lord Corrin," Felicia smiled, "I'll just slip in quietly through one of the windows and talk to Jakob—it'll be like I never left."

"Come to think of it," Silas announced, "If no one even noticed you were gone, wouldn't that speak ill of you as a maid?" Felicia frowned.

"We'll have this discussion some other time," Corrin pleaded, "For now, Silas, do you have somewhere safe you can stay?"

"Sure, my home is a few miles north—"

"Does the Nohrian military know about it?"

"Well, of course."

"Don't go there. It'll be dangerous."

"You think they'll come after me?"

"I don't know what's going to happen, but I know you can never be too careful."

"I have a friend, he's a cleric, not a military man."

"Good, stay with him," Corrin ordered, "If all goes well, I'll make it up to you by making you the captain of my guard, Silas, but for now, things are too uncertain, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you were hurt because of me."

The knight nodded, "All right. I understand. Please be safe."

"I'll do my best."

Corrin left his allies and walked down the long staircase, past the guards, and reached the bridge that extended over the dim abyss of Castle Krakenburg's lower levels and into the menacing orange light of its tower.

Expecting to be surrounded by guards as soon as he stepped through the door, the prince was surprised, contented, and then mortified to be wrapped in the embrace of his older sister's full figure—in that order. "Oh, my darling, it's so good to see you again!" Camilla cooed, holding him close.

"Umf… Kuhmilluh? Kan… breev," he protested.

"Hush, dear," she pressed against him even closer, "I won't hear it. Nobody is going to force me to let my little Cory-wory go."

"Pleev dun kah mi dah," Corrin answered.

"Is he here, Camilla?" Corrin heard his youngest sister spring down the stairs, her heels clicking outrageously loud on the masonry beneath them. The clicks echoed down the hall until he felt a weight attach itself to his knee, "Corrin! You're home!"

"Guh tuh si yo tuh, 'Leez," he murmured.

"Camilla!" Elise chided her sister, "Let go of him, already! It's my turn."

"My, my," Camilla shook her head, "Awfully pushy, aren't we, dear sister?"

"I wanna see Corrin!" she insisted.

The prince was released from his elder sister's vice-grip, whereupon he locked eyes with Elise, who leapt up to give him a hug of her own. "I'm glad to see you, too, Elise, but I was only gone for a few days. You two never missed me this much when you came to the fortress."

"That's because you weren't in danger of," Elise caught herself, "Um, y'know, I mean… You weren't out fighting Nohr's enemies."

"Just a moment," Corrin wagged his finger, "The Ice Tribe aren't enemies of Nohr. Not anymore, at least."

Camilla's hand rose to her cheek, "You mean you actually…?"

"What?" he grinned proudly, "Did you doubt me? Of course, I quelled the Ice Tribe rebellion. They won't take up arms against Nohr as long as I'm around."

Camilla smiled, too, "Oh, that's wonderful, darling! Father will be _so_ pleased."

"Right," Corrin sighed, feeling the reality strike him like a cold wind, "Father."

"You did well, little prince," Corrin looked up as Xander emerged from the shadows, "I must confess, I was considering sending aid if you took too long, but you've defied my expectations and come back a veritable prince of Nohr. Your negotiating success puts you on par with Camilla and I, no doubt. That will be my comment to our father, too."

"Thank you, Xander," he bowed, "That means a lot, coming from you. Even if it seems like a bit of an embellishment."

"Come on," Nohr's crown prince waved his hand, beckoning his brother to follow, "Leo's already waiting in father's chamber. We'll go tell them of your success… together."

"Right behind you," the young Nohrian prince agreed, walking behind him. He was flanked by both of his sisters as they entered the king's chamber and stood to face Leo and Iago, who were on either side of King Garon's throne.

"Father," Xander announced, "as you expected, Prince Corrin has returned, and he has brought with him tidings of victory."

"Is this so, child?" Garon watched him with eyes that seemed larger than the last time the prince had seen him.

"It is, father," Corrin bowed, "I spoke with Chieftain Kilma of the Ice Tribe and convinced him to set aside his plans for rebellion. There will be no more such talk among their ranks."

"And you accomplished this alone?"

Corrin swallowed, "I did."

King Garon reclined in his throne, "That is quite impressive. I would ask, how did you manage to convince the ever-patriotic Chieftain Kilma to end his plans for revolt?"

"I explained how devastating it would be to the Ice Tribe," Corrin answered, "Chieftain Kilma loves his people more than anything, and so, by virtue of showing the threat to their lives that his planned rebellion posed, I was able to talk him down."

"Is that right?" King Garon closed his eyes, apparently in consideration, "Even I was not able to make Chieftain Kilma understand that. I wonder how it is he came to believe you?"

"I can answer that, Your Majesty," Iago smiled wickedly as he stepped forward, "The truth is, Prince Corrin did not succeed on his own. He had the aid of a knight of Nohr and Felicia, his maid and one of Chieftain Kilma's daughters in the negotiation."

"Iago, what…?" Corrin balled his fist.

"Ridiculous," Leo scoffed, turning his head, "I sincerely hope you have some evidence to back up your claim, Iago. To slander a prince… that wouldn't do at all for your station."

"Of course I have proof," he chuckled. The sorcerer snapped his fingers, and, in a moment, a pair of Nohrian guardsman dragged Felicia forth into the king's chambers, "The girl has already confessed to it."

"L-Liar!" Xander shouted, "You tortured one of his maids into a false confession? Without anyone's consent?"

"I can bring forth the knight, too," Iago grinned, his teeth showing, "Prince Corrin thought the boy was hidden, but I know just where to find him… and his family."

Corrin gritted his teeth.

"Corrin," Xander urged him, "say something! None of us believe this blackguard, just give father the evidence of the truth, and all will be well."

"I…" the prince paused, feeling his face grow hot and sweat appearing near his collar, "I, uh…"

Iago titled his head and smiled furtively, quite a bit like a snake that had just swallowed its prey, "He has no defense, Prince Xander, for you see I do not tell lies. I saw all that transpired, and I know the truth."

Corrin looked at the floor, hearing the unuttered sense of worry that was radiating from all his siblings as they stared at him, waiting for him to respond. He also felt disgusted as he could still see Iago's twisted smile as it lorded over him. He felt fire burn in his heart and twisted it into his fist as he looked up. He faced King Garon and pointed at him, "Father! Before anything else, I want to ask you a few questions."

The king cocked an eyebrow at him, "What? You are the one in questioning here, boy. Don't you have anything to refute Iago's claims?"

"I don't care," Corrin shook his head, "I want to know, did you kidnap Flora and Felicia to threaten Chieftain Kilma?"

"Such insolence!" Iago shouted.

"Did you give me the sword Ganglari knowing that it would explode, thinking that it would kill me?"

"How dare—"

"Did you send me to face the Ice Tribe alone thinking I would die in so doing?"

"Be silent, you wretch!" Iago cried.

"Iago," Garon held up his hand, "Enough. Do you truly think so little of me, child? I who raised you when you were orphaned?"

"You were the one who orphaned me," Corrin answered, "Twice over."

Garon laughed, "Is that what you think? You're an ungrateful little whelp, you know that?"

"Corrin," Xander pleaded, "Father, surely there's a way we can work this all out!"

"I don't think so," Garon shook his head, "For you to fail my test, and to make such insolent remarks against me… Your loyalty has been appraised, and I find it lacking. I hereby sentence you to death."

"Father, no!" Xander shouted.

"You can't!" Camilla sobbed.

Leo turned his head. Elise sank to her knees.

"So, you admit it," Corrin said.

All eyes in the room turned to him. "I beg your pardon?" Garon growled icily.

"You never answered my allegations," Corrin responded, "As you assumed of me, so shall I assume of you: if you don't have anything to say in response, you admit that you tried to kill me, and that you've threatened your own allies to gain control over them."

"You understand so little, my child," Garon shook his head.

"I'm not 'your child.' You're not my father. You're a coward. And you're no king of Nohr."

Garon sneered at him, "That's enough. Guards!"

Iago watched with feverish glee as the guards began to pour into the room.

"Felicia! Jakob!" Corrin shouted, "Now!"

Sparks started up in the middle of the throne room, and smoke began to fill the chamber. The room became filled with a cacophony of choking and hacking noises, combined with the shouting of Garon and Iago, but through it all, they missed the presence of a blue cape, a maid, and a butler darting out the massive doors and speeding down the hall, feet pounding on the floor.


	6. Land Below

Leo lingered in the darkened hall a moment longer. He saw his own shadow played upon the wall before him by the torch at his back. He listened as a few of the servants walked down the hall, chattering between themselves. They lowered their voices as they passed him by, but then picked up the conversation as they continued on down the hall. There was light pouring in from the gap in the door beside him, but the young Nohrian prince wasn't prepared to open it. He heard a muffled sigh from within and, against his better judgment, pressed himself against the door and the wall surrounding it to peer into the crack with one eye.

Camilla was sitting on her bed, her knees drawn up to her chest, and her elbows folded around her legs. She buried her face between her knees, such that all Leo could see was the violet drapery that was her hair. She let out a stuttered exhale. She was crying.

Leo backed away from the door and tiptoed down the hall for several feet. He recalled the time that he and his brother had found her crying, her hair a mess and her makeup smudged, following her desertion by a young nobleman. Even Corrin wasn't spared her wrath that evening—she chased them through the castle, hair astir and eyes bugging out of her head, looking very much like a kraken as she tore the halls apart chasing them down. Leo would have preferred to avoid repeating that performance.

He walked past Elise's room and peered in the open door, but the room was blue—empty of both light and life. She had been leaving the castle more and more in the days since it happened, and Leo thought their father would be more concerned, but he took no interest. He recalled the king noting that she was "at that age," or some similar platitude.

Nohr's youngest prince did not bother to look in his eldest brother's room, for he knew that Xander had been sent to dispatch some poor, foolhardy group of rabble-rousers, preparing to desert their home and flee to Hoshido, but not before lighting a few homes on fire, in all their gratitude.

For another night, the castle was empty. Leo sighed as he returned to his room and sat down on his bed. His thoughts turned to Iago a moment before he made himself sick simply thinking about the sorcerer. He lit the candle that rested on his nightstand and opened the book that waited alongside it. It was to be another long evening.

[…]

Lights glittered along the tents as people hummed and walked along, their footsteps clacking loudly against the masonry below them and resounding off the walls of the tunnels. The usually unpleasant air seemed, today, to be filled with an uncharacteristic sweetness. A rotund, aging woman emerged from behind a countertop to offer cinnamon rolls. A young man wearing a canvas-like garment purchased one from her and thanked her before continuing down the walk. He watched with a smile as a trio of children brushed past him playing a game of tag.

A group of men with thick mustaches and bristly beards were arguing at a bar as the young man walked by. One swung his tankard near a fellow patron as he shouted, "Don' care how m'ny times I got t'say it: Garon's a swine! Got no interest in the people!"

"We all know that," one of his companions slapped him on the back, "The problem is, what the hell d'we do about it? Me, I'm just one man, and I can swing an axe all right, I reckon, but some of the king's men are outright monsters. We'd never stand a chance, even if all of us stood against him."

"Dark Dragon be damned," another patron, who had been silent to this point, piped up, "What's the world comin' to? And didja hear about the prince?"

"Xander?"

"Nah, the other one."

"Leo?"

"No, no, you dolt, the _other_ one."

"Ah, s'right. Daft kid. S'pose his heart was in the right place, but…"

"Well, I'll need to go back to the wife shortly. How 'bout one more, barkeep?"

The hooded figure kept walking down the tunnels and passing by more stalls, but he didn't stop to look at any more of them: being late would mean trouble. All the same, he was halted as he came to one more stall, one he'd never seen before. "Just a moment, sir," a female voice addressed him from behind the stall.

He looked up to see a curvaceous woman who sported ruby-red hair, straightened into a ponytail. She had a gray-whitish shawl drawn over and fastened to her shoulders, but he could see a strangely flagrant red-and-yellow striped ensemble beneath. The woman clearly wasn't from Nohr—dressing like that was asking to get robbed. "Uh, yes?" the figure stammered.

"You," she tapped her index finger on her chin, smiling, "You must be Prince Corrin, right?"

The prince's eyes widened, "Wh-What? Who—I mean… I don't know what you're talking about."

She chuckled, "It's all right, there's no need to pretend with me. The red eyes and the pointy ears kinda give it away."

He looked to either side to ensure he wasn't being watched, "What's going on? Are you an assassin? Did my father send you?"

The redheaded woman laughed a little louder, "Ha! Buddy, if I wanted you dead, you wouldn't have enough air left in your lungs to ask me that question by now."

He glared at her, "So, what do you want? And how is it you know me?"

She shrugged, "A girl can learn lots of things when she's well-connected. And speaking of well-connected, I'm talking to you because I'm looking for someone, and I'm hoping you can help."

"I'm listening," he folded his arms.

"There's a girl who was supposed to meet me here in Nohr," the woman explained, "She has red hair, just like mine." The woman pointed to her ponytail. She produced a coin embossed with a shimmering "A" and held it out in front of the Nohrian prince, "I'd like for you to look for someone like that, and, if you find her, show her this coin. If she's the person I'm looking for, she'll recognize it right away."

"I'm not sure," the prince hesitated, "Why do you want me to do this? Why not look for her yourself?"

"I am," she answered, "but two sets of eyes are better than one, especially when your area of interest is an entire country, don't you think?"

"I suppose…"

"Plus, I'll throw in something good for you: some special information that might help you out."

"Information?"

"Mm-hm. Just take the coin and I'll tell you."

Corrin held out his open palm and let the coin fall into it as the woman dropped it. He clasped his hand around the metal.

The woman smiled, "Thanks. Now, let's see… Oh, right. Do you know Notre Sagesse?"

"Of course," the prince nodded, "The 'Land of Philosophers.' It appeared in a lot of my history lessons. It's said to be a place where the children are born blessed with knowledge. There used to be an oracle there who predicted military victories and defeats."

The woman put her finger to her nose, "Ding! And where did that oracle supposedly live?"

"At the peak of Mount Sagesse, in a place called the 'Sevenfold Sanctuary.' So called based on the popular belief that a piece of paper could only be folded a maximum of seven times, which a philosopher, who built the sanctuary, disproved by having an army fashion a massive piece of paper twelve times. So the legend goes, anyway."

"Wow," the redheaded woman rolled her eyes in mock enthusiasm, "I guess that royal education is good for something after all. But here's something your books won't have taught you: do you know someone still occupies the Sevenfold Sanctuary?"

"What? But it's all the way up on that mountain. No one could ever get food up there—how could they live?"

"The person who lives there is called the Rainbow Sage," she went on, "He's a descendant of the dragons who helped shape Nohr and Hoshido."

Corrin cocked an eyebrow, "I'm not sure I can believe all that."

The woman shrugged, "Not my business whether you believe it or not, but my info is always top-notch, just like my merch. Either way, we're done here."

"Right then," Corrin stuffed the coin into his pocket, "but how will I find _you_ if I should find this girl you're looking for? Shall I bring her back here?"

The woman smiled, "No need. Just tell any merchant around that you need to take her to meet Anna. They'll take care of the rest."

"Anna," he repeated, "Is that your name, then?"

She smirked at him, "You were hurrying along before, princey. I think you've got a meeting to attend, don'cha?"

His eyes widened, "Hells, you're right. Uh, thank you for the information, madam. Good day."

She waved goodbye as he sped off, resting her head on her palm and her elbow on the shelf in front of her. "What a strange kid," she mused, "To think, he's really _that_ guy, too."

Corrin continued down the tunnel and ducked into an entrance framed by a steel door. He knocked on it a few times. "Say the passphrase," a voice returned.

Corrin rolled his eyes, "Elise, you know it's me. No one else comes around here."

" _You_ were the one who said I needed to keep myself safer doing this," she answered, "Now, say it."

"Can we at least negotiate the phrase itself?" he begged, "I can't be saying stuff like this, it's way too embarrassing."

"Say it."

He sighed, "Elise is the cutest little sister a brother could ask for."

A latch swung and made a hollow noise against the door, which flew open promptly thereafter. "Hey, big brother!" Elise greeted him, wrapping him in a hug.

He patted her on the head and walked over to the table where two cups of tea sat, setting down the cinnamon rolls he had purchased, "We really need to have a serious discussion about that passphrase."

"If you're done being grouchy," she hopped up into one of the chairs by the table and took one of the teacups, "I'm happy to report that our most recent endeavor was a success."

Corrin drank some tea, "You got the medicine out?"

"Yuh-huh," she nodded, "The families will be back on their feet in a matter of days."

"How are things going with the peasants in the south?"

"We managed to get them to calm down for now. They're waiting on us to make a move, but they won't draw any more attention."

"Any word from Flora or Kilma?"

"They received our gifts of food with great satisfaction, milord," Jakob entered, carrying a teapot, "I hope the tea hasn't gotten cold."

Corrin shook his head, "It's tremendous, as always. Where is Felicia?"

"Out dealing with that thief, as per your request, milord," replied the butler.

"Great," the prince reclined in his seat, "remind me later, Jakob, I heard something today that I'd like to verify."

"As you wish, milord," he bowed.

Elise sighed as she put down her empty teacup, "So, you can see, things are going great!"

Her brother smiled, "It has been a steady incline so far, but we'll have to make a larger move sooner or later, and I'm more concerned about what King Garon will do when that happens. Plus, there's still the matter of Camilla, Leo, and Xander."

"I think we should try to send word to Camilla," Elise shot back, "She'd do anything for you. And she's good about keeping secrets. She'd be able to help us without making things too obvious."

"I hope you're right," Corrin nodded, taking another sip of tea.

There was a sudden knock at the metal door.

"Could that be Felicia?" Corrin wondered, setting down his cup.

"Just a moment, milord," Jakob cautioned, holding him in place and going to answer the door himself. The butler lowered his voice an octave: "Who're you and whaddya want?" Elise and Corrin both snickered.

"I'm told this is where Prince Corrin now resides."

They stopped snickering.

"May I see him?"

"Who is this, exactly?"

"I believe the prince knows me."

Corrin stood up, "That voice… it can only be… Jakob, open the door."

"But milord!" he protested, "What if this is one of Iago's deceptions?"

"I don't think even Iago is good enough to copy that voice," the prince answered.

"Allow me to prove my identity," the voice continued, " _You are the ocean's gray waves_ …"

Corrin listened to the familiar song and felt a vibrating warmth in his heart. "No doubt about it. Open the door," he ordered Jakob.

The butler sighed and opened the door. Behind it, the blue-haired songstress appeared and strode forward into the room, "So, it's true. Here I was thinking your disappearance from the court would mean I'd never see you again."

"Azura," he stammered, "What are you doing here?"

She smiled, "I considered things and decided to come back to you."

Kaze stepped in slowly behind her, and was promptly pounced on by Jakob, "Ah-ha! The Hoshidan scoundrel brought an assassin with her to do her dirty work while milord was distracted!"

"That is not at all my intention," Kaze refuted as his arms were being pulled behind his back, "Please, release me."

"Kaze?" Corrin started, "You too?"

"Indeed," the green-haired ninja nodded, "We both have come seeking answers from you."

"Oh?" he cocked an eyebrow, "Well, feel free." He motioned for Jakob to stand down.

Kaze glared at Jakob over his shoulder, and the butler reluctantly relinquished his captive. Azura took another step forward, "I want to know what's going through your head, because what you've done doesn't make any sense to me."

"How so?"

"You stood against Hoshido—fine. I disagree with your choice, but I respect why you made it… but now you've abandoned your Nohrian family, too. Why? Why not just join the Hoshidans?"

"Because I have no interest in fighting for Hoshido," he shook his head, "And I haven't abandoned my Nohrian family at all. I've only abandoned King Garon, who, I've decided, is beyond saving. But I could never side with Hoshido knowing what I know now."

"What's that?"

"The people of Nohr are starving, Azura. Dying. Sick. Afraid. They don't want this war any more than you or I, but it's their heartless ruler who's forcing them all to take up swords instead of sickles and march off to die en masse. That's why I could never join the Hoshidans: the only thing I'd be accomplishing then is victimizing people without hope for the future. And it wouldn't change anything: if the Hoshidans win the war and overrun the capital, nothing will change between our nations. Hoshidans will still consider Nohrians the enemy, and Nohrians will still resent Hoshidans for having what they never could: happiness, security, peace of mind."

"That's…" Azura hesitated, "but then, why… what…"

"So, the only choice is to unseat King Garon and revolutionize Nohr from within," the prince concluded, "That's the only way to stop the evils of Nohr without tipping the balance in favor of Hoshido instead."

Azura paused. "I never knew the Nohrians were so desperate," she concluded.

"Neither did I," Corrin agreed, "It took stepping outside the royal bubble for me to realize it, but now I understand why my countrymen resent the Hoshidans as they do, and the rock and the hard place between which they're stuck. Knowing all that, and being a prince of Nohr… it's my duty to fix this broken nation and save them. I'm indebted to my people for that much."

The songstress nodded slowly, "You've already changed a lot since I last saw you."

He smiled, "I've seen a lot since then."

"Well," Azura sighed, taking another step further, "I feel… better, knowing your motivations. And… for the time being, I think our goals are the same. So, with that said… I believe I'd like to join your efforts."

"Really?!" he grinned. The prince cleared his throat, "I mean, er… Really?"

"Yes," she said, "Especially as I believe I'm no longer welcome in Hoshido."

"No longer welcome?" Corrin wondered, "What happened?"

"Milady was imprisoned by Lord Takumi shortly after your departure, Lord Corrin," Kaze answered.

Corrin sighed, "That Takumi… he seems to have quite the temper. I'm sorry you had to suffer through that, Azura."

"Oh, it wasn't so bad," she shrugged.

"Milady's sentence was greatly abbreviated," Kaze noted.

Corrin chuckled, "Your talent is apparent, Kaze. Oh, right, didn't you say you had questions for me, too?"

"Milord has already answered them," replied the ninja, "I know that your goal is peace for both Nohr and Hoshido. That is something my brother will never understand. And… for reasons I don't yet feel comfortable disclosing… I believe it's in my best interest to join you as well, Lord Corrin."

"Hm?" the prince cocked an eyebrow, "I'd be grateful for the help, but… what do you mean? Why the secrecy?"

"A ninja must keep at least a few things close to his breast, milord," Kaze answered, "but you will have my undying loyalty, I swear it."

"Is one of these things a plan to assassinate my master?" Jakob leered at him.

"It is not," Kaze answered, "Though I doubt you will believe me no matter what I say."

"Enough, Jakob," Corrin held out his hand, "It's very dangerous for a ninja to come to Nohr all alone just to pledge his loyalty to a man who is fighting against his homeland. I'd like to give Kaze the benefit of the doubt."

"For what it's worth, I like both of them, too," Elise added. Corrin, Azura, and Kaze all smiled at her.

Jakob sighed, "I fear your kindness will be your undoing, milord."

[…]

The port came slowly into view over the horizon as waves lapped against the blackened hull of the ship. Soldiers were climbing along every inch of the vessel as it sped toward its destination, such that they were overwhelming the ship's actual crew.

Standing on the ship's bow, looking out, seeing the port before anyone else, a young prince of Hoshido clasped his hand tightly around his bow.


	7. Beasts and Men

Azura looked around the table. Kaze sat with his eyes shut and his arms folded (as she now noticed they almost always were). Felicia had her eyes to the floor and she was twiddling her fingers, prepared to apologize at a moment's notice. Elise was sitting upright, with her back straightened and her arms down at her sides, her fingers gripping the underside of her chair. Every now and then, the Nohrian princess looked over at the freshly-baked tarts that were sitting on a counter just out of reach and licked her lips, and then darted her eyes back and forth to make sure no one had seen. Jakob refused to sit, standing by his lord's chair instead.

The moment of truth arrived as the door swung open and Corrin walked in, casting aside his shawl. He paused and blinked at them all upon entering, "Oh. You're all gathered up already."

"Jakob told us this was serious," Azura repeated the butler's phrasing, "We're treating it accordingly."

The Nohrian prince nodded and sat down, "He's right about that. This is serious—gravely so. Because I've decided… it's time to move out of the shadows."

"What?" Jakob looked down at his lord.

"Lord Corrin," Kaze glared at him intensely, "surely you do not already plan to strike against King Garon."

"No," he agreed, "that would be foolish. I mean we have to broaden our approach, to make some more serious moves so we can start building up to that goal."

"But… so soon?" Felicia's voice quivered, "Weren't we doing enough by giving needy people medicine and food?"

Corrin shook his head, "Not for my satisfaction. If there's one thing my siblings taught me about being a member of the Nohrian royal family, it's that you can't be complacent, and you can't settle. Operating on a low level like this is helpful, but it's never going to be enough to save Nohr."

"So… what do you think we should do?" Elise wondered.

"I've been in contact with the Ice Tribe since I settled the rebellion there. Or, more accurately, I've _had_ a contact with them," Corrin explained, gesturing to Felicia, "and their chieftain, Kilma, told me about a tribe of shapeshifters to the southeast of Windmire."

"You speak of the wolfskin of Mount Garou," Kaze nodded.

"Mount Garou?" Jakob cocked an eyebrow, "Is that what Hoshidans call it? In Nohr, everyone knows that the wolfskin live atop Mount Lupin."

"Oh, yeah," Elise piped up, "that name rings a bell."

"You plan to recruit these shapeshifters, then?" Azura continued.

Corrin nodded, "That's the idea. The tribals aren't numerous, but even with a few fearsome warriors like that, the Nohrian army will have to start giving us some leeway. If we combine their might with that of the Ice Tribe, we'll become a real force to be reckoned with, and then we can start a proper revolution."

"An interesting plan," Azura thought aloud, "but why not recruit the Ice Tribe first, in that case? You seem to have already built a rapport with them."

"Because they're too close to the capital," Corrin answered, "We have to stay invisible until we can recruit both tribes, and then we can start showing off our strength. If we leave the capital for a while, no one will be suspicious of us or the Ice Tribe, and then we can rush back to the Ice Tribe and add their support, and it'll be too late for anyone to stop us."

"That makes sense," Kaze nodded, "I have to admit, I have a strong preference for missions that allow me to remain undetected and out of combat."

"I thought you'd like it," Corrin smiled. He continued on, "I also got a tip from a merchant not long ago about a mysterious figure called the 'Rainbow Sage' who lives in Notre Sagesse. I thought she was pulling my leg at first, but after doing some research, I saw the name appear alongside some of the legends associated with my Yato. I think it'd be a golden opportunity to see the veracity of the rumors if we dropped by."

"So, the plan is to take a trip down south, recruit a tribe of werewolves, and meet a living legend, all while remaining undetected by the Nohrian army," Azura resumed, "Is that all? Anything else you'd like to add to this pleasure cruise?"

Everyone at the table laughed and Corrin scratched the back of his head, "I understand it's a lot to accomplish, but I believe it's the only way forward."

Azura was smiling, "And as impossible as it sounds, something about the way you say it makes me believe you can do it, Corrin. We're with you."

"That's right!" Elise cheered, "Let's hear it for my big brother! And let's find some wolves!"

The table let out a small cheer, as much as six people trying to remain hidden in a subterranean hideout could afford to cheer.

"But first," Jakob called out as they settled down, "lunch. I spent all morning preparing a ham, and I'll be damned if we don't enjoy it before we leave."

[…]

Leo waited with his arms behind his back as the siblings stood in their father's throne room, waiting for him to emerge from his chambers. It seemed like they had been doing a lot of that lately—waiting on him. But perhaps it wasn't any different: after all, they were the royalty of Nohr, so of course they would be serving the king, their father, frequently, but the work they were doing lately had a different quality to it, no doubt. Something ineffable.

Xander broke his brother out of his stupor, "I know it's become a taboo subject, but… I'm sure the two of you, like me, can't stop thinking about Corrin and Elise."

Leo shut his eyes and bowed his head, "Elise has probably just run off because she's upset. But as for Corrin… that fool is so damned naïve, doing what he did. He probably got himself killed by a mugger just minutes after leaving the castle."

"Leo!" Camilla shrieked, "Don't you _dare_ say such awful things about our dear brother!"

He bit back, "I'm being realistic, Camilla! It's his fault for not just learning to deal with Father the way we have."

"But…" her tone was already softer, "But that can't be… please, just don't say it…"

"I've made many a private dispatch," Xander sighed, "I have eyes all over the city, and not one of them has spotted him. If he's alive, he's well hidden. The same goes for Elise."

"Why did this have to happen to our family?" Camilla sniffled, "This is too awful."

They were interrupted by the sounds of King Garon's chamber door swinging open, whereupon the king marched slowly forward and placed himself upon his throne. "Thank you all for gathering here, my children," he held out his hand, "I come before you today to announce a dire threat to our homeland. Because our initial invasion of Hoshido failed, the Hoshidans have taken it upon themselves to return the favor. A vanguard led by their Prince Takumi makes its way toward our southern border even now. They will make landfall soon, and I would meet their aggression with the full might of Nohr."

"Of course, father," Xander nodded, "We will show those who attempt to invade our country no mercy."

"That attitude is precisely why I'll be placing you in command of the offense, Xander," King Garon replied, "You have shown your loyalty to Nohr time and again, and you are an experienced leader by now. I expect a strong showing from you."

"I humbly accept your compliments and vow to do them justice, Father," Xander bowed.

"Leo," Garon pointed to him, "You will join your older brother in his campaign. You know much about Nohrian society, as well as strategy, but your knowledge of making war is insufficient."

"Very well," Leo accepted, "I shall endeavor to learn all I can, Father."

"And that leaves you, Camilla," the king went on.

By now, she had dried her tears, "Would you like me to join my brothers, too, Father?"

He shook his head, "No. Your skill in battle is adequate, but there is no need for your presence in so basic a mission. I have a different task for you: I will be attending an opera in Cyrkensia in a few days' time, as part of a planned negotiation on financial support for the war. It goes without saying that the success of this negotiation is paramount to our efforts. As such, I ask that you accompany me."

"Surely you don't fear assassins, Father?" Camilla smirked.

"I do not," he agreed, "But you are notoriously persuasive, my daughter. I require your talents for coercion in order to pull off these negotiations."

"As you wish, Father," Camilla accepted.

"All of you, call on your retainers to accompany you as well. Their support will be practical for such important objectives. And," the king's voice lowered as well as his face, "If any of you see the traitorous Prince Corrin, you are to execute him on the spot. Am I understood?"

The three Nohrian royals swallowed almost in unison, "Yes, Father."

"Good, then let us begin."

[…]

The march to the mountain that housed the Wolfskin Tribe had been a long and arduous one, requiring several days' hike to finally near the summit. The summit itself, Corrin noticed with some concern, was blanketed in darkness, perhaps even more so than the rest of Nohr. The sky was filled with violet clouds, and the ground beneath them was becoming dotted with outcroppings of bone buried hastily either by hand or by time.

"It's never The Village of Everlasting Relaxation at the bottom of a gentle hill, is it?" the prince sighed as he panted, continuing to march, "It always has to be at the top of some auspicious mountain."

Azura laughed, "If you're wearing out, I could sing to you a bit to rejuvenate your spirits."

"That's all right," he thanked her, "we're nearly there. I just hope the Wolfskin are receptive to our plans."

"If he's not taking that song, I will," Elise added, "I'm about to pass out over here!"

"Elise," her brother sighed, "you've been riding your horse the whole time."

"Doesn't make me any less tired," she answered, "Whaddya say, big sister?"

"Big sister?" Azura repeated, "Are you talking about me?"

"Of course!" she smiled, "Xander, Leo, and Camilla told me all about you. I always thought it was weird that I had another sister I'd never met. I'm so glad we can be together now!"

Azura blushed, "Right. Er, me too."

"So," the blonde girl paused, "how 'bout that song?"

"Oh, right!" Azura started, "Let's see… to relieve your fatigue…"

She began to sing a few notes, but she was quickly cut off, "We'll handle that, thank you very much!"

"Who…?" Corrin turned around, as did Elise and Azura.

Before them stood a handsome blond man with an impossibly square jaw and cleft chin who puffed out his chest with his arms at his hips and a woman with either pale lavender or pure white hair who sported a surprisingly bulky suit of armor. The man spoke up, "We'll see to relieving all that ails Lady Elise, young lady! No need to thank me!"

"Arthur, Effie!" Elise shouted. She jumped down from her horse and hugged them both, "How did you find us all the way out here?"

"Haha!" Arthur laughed robustly, "Child's play for a true champion of justice! I merely spotted you with my eagle eyes as you exited your underground hideaway!"

"Then why didn't you approach us then?" Elise wondered.

"I would have, but our beloved Effie slowed us down."

"This armor's heavier than it looks," the young woman explained. Corrin was shocked by that: it already looked incredibly heavy. "And besides," Effie continued, "I found us that place that made those great stuffed cabbages."

"Snacks pale in comparison to the pursuit of justice!" Arthur replied, "Er, but they were quite delicious. In any case, we've come to join you in your pursuits, Lady Elise!"

"Are you sure about that?" she asked, "Right now my brother and I… we're acting contrary to King Garon's wishes. We may even end up fighting against him. Are you comfortable with that?"

"Aha!" Arthur sighed, "Lady Justice is so alluringly complex. All the same, I am! I swore fealty to _you_ , Lady Elise, not your father. Besides, serving the king lately has left a distinct un-justice-like taste in my mouth, and I long to have it removed! …The taste, that is. Not my tongue!"

"Ditto," Effie nodded, "I could use some tasty stuff to put in my mouth. Oh, and my loyalty is to you too, Lady Elise, you've always known that."

She smiled, "Thank you both. I couldn't ask for a better pair of retainers." Nohr's youngest princess turned to her brother and Azura, "Corrin, Azura, allow me to formally introduce you to my retainers, Arthur and Effie."

"Pleased to meet you," Corrin saluted, "I'm happy to have you join our ranks."

"In the name of justice, we stand ready to answer your commands, Prince Corrin," Arthur replied.

Corrin scratched the back of his neck, "O…kay. Well, 'in the name of justice,' I need you to climb this mountain with me, all right?"

"It shall be done!" Arthur acceded, making a beeline up the inclined rock.

"Marks for enthusiasm," Corrin noted to his sister as they followed behind him.

The climb up Mount Lupin was no less grueling than the march to get to it, but at least it was mercifully shorter. As the group ascended the rocky mountain, they began to notice rustling in taller patches of grass and the occasional disturbances of pebbles surrounding them, to the extent that Felicia and Elise were significantly disquieted by the time that the group seemed to have reached the mountain's peak.

"Strange," Corrin noted, looking around and finding wooden structures and still-smoking fire pits, "It's clear that someone has been living around here for some time, and yet the place seems to be deserted right now."

"That's because that's how we want it to look, human," a matter-of-fact voice told him.

The prince looked up to see a masculine figure sporting a white vest with a black undershirt, a tuft of white hair on his head, and a pair of rough-looking, jagged, doglike black ears descending from one of the homes with a few similar-looking figures behind him. "So, it's true," the prince stood his ground, "This mountain is the home of the Wolfskin, right? Who are you?"

"I'm Keaton," the figure answered, "and right now, where you're standing I'm your superior, so watch your tone, all right?"

"We don't mean to offend, Keaton," Azura added, "We've come seeking the aid of the Wolfskin."

Keaton's nose twitched, "And what makes you think we'd want to help a buncha dirty humans? Humans come up to this mountain to hunt the weak and sick among us and take home our pelts as prizes. I don't trust a human as far as I can throw 'em."

"That's understandable, given the circumstances," said Corrin, "but that's why we're here: we need your tribe's help to overthrow the current Nohrian king to improve the country. If you'll help us, I'm sure we can find a way to protect Wolfskin from poachers."

"Right, and how are you going to do that?" Keaton asked.

"I'll make it happen. I'm the second oldest prince of Nohr," Corrin replied, "My name is Corrin. May I speak to your chieftain?"

Keaton chuckled, "Speaking. And you don't look much like a prince, kid. That big scary guy I saw once—with the blond hair—now _that_ guy looked like royalty. You look…" he sniffed the air, "and smell like you just crawled out of the gutter."

"Look," Corrin balled his fists, "It's very important that we have the support of the Wolfskin. Is there anything I can do to prove my lineage and intentions to you?"

Keaton scratched his chin until he realized it was making his tail wag, "All right, you wanna prove yourselves? A couple of our brothers were kidnapped by Nohrian humans to appear in some show that they're putting on in a place called Cyrkensia. Do you know that place?"

"Sure," Corrin nodded, "It's not far from here."

"Good," Keaton grinned, "Go rescue our brothers and bring them back here, then we'll know you're the real deal."

"Steal performers from a Cyrkensian show?" Jakob scoffed, "You ask the impossible! They're incredibly closely guarded—we'd never get within an inch!"

"I don't care," Keaton shook his head, "Not my problem. I just want my brothers back. If you're so important, you should be able to help them no problem."

"I'll do it," Corrin assented, "I won't back down so easily. But you must keep your word, Chieftain Keaton: when we bring your friends back, you must give us your aid in revolutionizing Nohr."

"Yeah, sure," Keaton dismissed, "and drop the formalities. Just 'Keaton' will do. Anyhow… good luck. Hope you don't get killed."

"Will you not even offer us rest in your village, you disrespectful lout?" Jakob growled.

Keaton glared at him, "Not in love with your tone, you stuffy-shirted guy. But no, I won't let you do that. I still don't trust you humans. And besides, would you really feel comfortable sleeping around a pack of hungry wolves?" He said this last line while flashing his sharpened teeth.

"Point taken," Jakob agreed.

The group turned and began to walk back down the hill.

"Cyrkensia," Azura muttered to herself, "I wonder if it's in the Nestrian Opera House? It's been years since I saw…"

"Something wrong, Azura?" Corrin sidled up beside her.

She started, "Hm? Uh, no. Why?"

"You were saying something to yourself," he noted.

"I'm just…" she paused, "thinking about how things are going to go in Cyrkensia."


	8. Orpheus and Eurydice

The walls of Cyrkensia were mostly alabaster, and they shined radiantly in the sunlight as the group walked through the crowded streets. Concealing their identities would be difficult in a location that shone so brightly: the city seemed to have a second sun illuminating it at all times thanks to the streams that ran underneath their streets and below rounded bridges. The reflections off the surface of this water gave the illusion of walking along streets of pearl and gold, and they made all the walls of the city warm to the touch. Red clay chimneys blew smoke into the air as they baked in the light, and people in long shawls of teal and salmon hurried through the streets carrying apples, fish, bricks, or any number of items to be delivered to houses in the merchant's paradise. Occasionally, a man wearing a plush hat or a woman with a purple dress lined with gold would stroll by, and everyone would slow down to admire them: these were the wealthy of Cyrkensia, who both fueled and controlled city's economy and, therefore, most of the kingdom of Nestra.

Corrin found himself staring at one of these ladies, a proper, pretty thing with blonde hair, before his attention was turned to a marble fountain of a muscular male figure holding a pot that poured into a pool surrounding him. As he watched, he failed to watch his own feet, and he ended up tripping over an upraised tile in the streets and falling on his face.

Azura offered her hand, "Do be careful, Corrin. We can't afford to stand out."

He took it and stood with her help, "Sorry, I was just… admiring this place."

She smiled and gave a faint chuckle, "That's right. I suppose you've never seen a city like Cyrkensia before."

"Indeed," he went on, "All this light, all these people… it's incredible, like I can feel a pulse from the city itself."

"It's enticing, all right," Silas agreed, "Cyrkensia is where most Nohrian soldiers spend their leave, if not with their families. You haven't lived until you've seen at least one Cyrkensian opera."

"The city is well known as the entertainment capital of the world," Kaze reported, arms folded and in a tone that suggested he wasn't aware he was already in the city, "And it's an economic powerhouse. Merchants travel the world over to trade in its markets. And, of course, there's an abundance of…" the group passed a trio of girls wearing loose pants in red, green, and purple, with matching wraps around their chests that failed to cover their midsections. "…less reputable forms of trade and entertainment," Kaze concluded.

"Hey, handsome!" the girl in purple waved to Corrin, "how ya doin'?"

He looked back, "Oh! Quite well, thank you." Azura frowned at him. He smiled back at her, "The people are so friendly here, too."

"Corrin," she sighed, "they're—"

"Where you off to?" the woman had come closer, "Big group of you like that, you must be up to something."

"Oh, we're just having a little wander before we go see a show this evening," he answered.

"Sounds nice," she said softly, slowly draping her arm around his back and stroking his shoulder, "but, you know, I could make your stay even more enjoyable. I could even treat you to a private show…"

"Tempting, but we've agreed to see this show together," Corrin replied, "I really can't afford to miss it."

"Yes," Azura added, grabbing Corrin by the wrist, "We've got a tight schedule to keep, and we can't be getting side-tracked." She began to drag the prince away.

"Oh, so that's how it is," the woman snickered, "Hey, it's all right, big guy. Drop by later tonight when you manage to ditch the ball and chain and I'll give you a night you'll never forget."

"Azura, there's no need to be rude," Corrin said, trying unsuccessfully to remove himself from her grasp, "Er, sorry. Thank you for the offer, but we really must be going."

Their initial fear of recognition had subsided: no one in the town seemed to notice them, despite them not wearing any sort of disguise. People walked the streets with their eyes straight forward and never paid an ounce of attention to the motley crew that brushed past them.

When they finished strolling through the streets and arrived at the massive domed opera house, Corrin was struck once again, such that he needed to be pulled forward to near the building and the quarters that were arranged at its rear.

There, the group's first obstacle appeared: a pair of Cyrkensian guards stood on either side of the path leading to the performer's quarters. The group halted and huddled in a nearby courtyard to discuss the problem. "I doubt we'll get in there without revealing ourselves," Corrin sighed, "What should we do?"

"Perhaps we can explain to them the inherent injustice of illegally seizing other living beings for servitude and performance, whereupon they will allow us to complete our gallant mission uninhibited," Arthur suggested.

Corrin watched one of the guards snort and spit on the ground before him. "Somehow, I don't think that'll work," the prince said.

"I'm used to avoiding attention," Kaze interjected, "Why don't you leave it to me, milord?"

"I appreciate your eagerness, Kaze," Corrin answered, "but I can't let you go in alone. What if something were to go wrong?"

"Milord, as but a humble ninja, my life is of little consequence to—"

"No," Corrin shook his head, "That's not how this works. We're few enough as it is. I won't have anybody sacrificing themselves just to get us a leg up. We either do this together or we don't do it at all."

"I have a suggestion," Azura announced.

Everyone turned to face her. "Well, go on," Corrin offered.

"Suppose one of us was to pose as a performer. They could free the wolfskin under that pretense, and at the same time warn them of the danger and of our plan. Then, when the show starts, under cover of night, the rest of us could slowly move the wolfskin out of the building and retreat before anyone realizes what's happened."

"I don't know," Corrin thought, "what about the person who poses as a performer? What will happen to them?"

"Well, someone would have to stay back and look out for them, I suppose," Azura nodded.

Corrin pinched his chin, "It could work, I guess. But who among us could stand in for a Cyrkensian opera singer?" The rest of the group blinked and turned their heads to Azura. Corrin followed their eyes and also looked at her, "Oh, right. I guess that makes sense."

"So," Azura turned, her voice full of new breath, "do we have a plan?"

Corrin frowned, "I'm not sure. I don't know how I feel about sending you to do this on your own…"

"But I won't be doing it on my own," she corrected him, "Someone will be looking out for me, won't they?"

He started, "O-Of course. Right, I'll watch your back. Everyone else, I'll ask you to take care of getting the wolfskin out of here. The only thing left is to figure out how we can get you in without anyone raising questions, Azura."

Azura looked over her shoulder and spotted a girl with purple hair who wore a white gown clutching her hands at her chest and pacing around the courtyard, "I think I may have an answer for that, too." She walked over to the young woman who was wringing her hands and called out to her, "Excuse me, miss, is something wrong?"

"Oh!" she turned around, "I apologize, I shouldn't be seen like this, but, it's just…"

Azura smiled, "Is it something I can help with?"

"I doubt it," the violet-haired woman answered, "My poor mother is ill, and she may not make it through the night, but I'm scheduled to perform for King Garon. Failing to do so would be the end of my career."

"I've got an idea," Azura raised a finger as if she'd just thought of it then, "Why don't I take your place?"

The woman stared back, "Er, no offense, miss, but I don't think you realize what you're saying. Performing in an opera takes serious vocal talent and coordination, you can't just walk off the street and—"

"The show for tonight is 'The King's Bound Heart,' right?" Azura interjected, "I remember it from when I was just a child. She twirled in place and sang, 'A world carved anew by flame,/Humanity is to blame./All the soldiers hear the dirge,/Men, the king says, are the scourge."

The singer watched, eyes wide, "I can't believe it… Have the gods sent me a miracle?"

"I take it you like my proposal?" Azura grinned.

"Hm," the singer bit her lip, "but they'll never fall for it with your hair like that… Er, I mean, it's very pretty, but it's not really 'me'…"

"I understand," Azura nodded, "Will you allow me a moment?" The woman nodded and watched as Azura rejoined the group. "She'll let me do it, but I need to style my hair like hers."

"Ooh! Ooh!" Elise jumped, raising her hand, "Let me! Camilla used to have me do her hair all the time! Please, please let me! Yours looks so pretty and soft, Azura!"

Azura chuckled, "Then I guess the plan is still on." She looked at the other smiling faces around her, but noticed that Corrin's was not one of them. "Corrin?" she asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Hm?" he looked up, "Oh, sorry. I was just… Elise mentioned Camilla and I…"

"Oh, of course," Azura nodded, "I understand. Well… I, uh, have to get ready, but… will you… you know…"

He cleared his throat, "I'll be fine. Go ahead."

"Why don't I fetch milord a cup of spearmint tea while we wait?" Jakob suggested.

"Or," Felicia interjected, "We could get some local food! I hear Cyrkensians make a bunch of great pasta dishes!"

Jakob scoffed, "Indeed, and will you make milord pay for them? If you were a decent retainer, you'd know how to make those dishes yourself!"

"Well… do you?"

"I…! That is immaterial!"

Azura looked to each side, "So… I'm going to go now…"

Corrin nodded.

[…]

Soldiers rushed past Leo to establish their positions, standing guard at various staircases. Cavalry held to the back for speedy deployment in the event of a sudden change in momentum. Knights made up the bulk of the vanguard; armed with lances, they made a jagged wall against which the enemy would be forced to skewer themselves if they attempted to advance. Bowmen waited well behind the rest of the ranks to knock out aerial threats, and, of course, swordsmen and axe-toting warriors formed the middle of the port town's defensive position. Everything was in place. Waves lapped against the harbor and everything remained still and calm, breeding an eerie silence.

"Leo." The youngest Nohrian prince was stunned out of his thought by his brother's voice, "You did well placing the troops. Are you prepared to engage the enemy?"

He calmed himself, "Of course. I was born ready to squash uppity Hoshidans."

"Careful now," Xander cautioned, "we must show respect for our enemies' strength. Underestimating a foe is the quickest route to failure."

"You're right, as always," Leo sighed, "just the same, I'm eager to get some combat experience, like Father said."

"And I think you'll have your fair share of it," Xander nodded, "Today, you'll see what it really means to lead, Leo—to be an inspiration to your troops. To show no fear. To give no quarter. To struggle with all your might until the enemy is vanquished."

Leo murmured in agreement.

As the pair looked out to the horizon, they spotted the Hoshidan galley making its way into the harbor and sliding up toward one of the docks. "Come," Xander beckoned his brother, "Let us see what these Hoshidans will do upon being met with such odds."

The two Nohrian princes rode their steeds along the stone streets of the harbor until they reached the dock at which the Hoshidan vessel had halted. They stood at the end of the gangplank and watched as Hoshido's youngest prince descended from the ship. He glared at both of them. "You two," said Prince Takumi, "You must be Princes Xander and Leo of Nohr."

"That's right," Xander nodded.

"So," he hopped down from the gangplank, "You're the ones who convinced my brother to turn traitor."

"We convinced him to return to his real family," Leo responded, "Of which you are not a part."

"He needed very little convincing," Xander added, "Fighting for Nohr was his choice. Now and forever."

"Oh?" Takumi cocked an eyebrow, "And where is my traitorous brother? I want him to see the face of the brother he turned his back on."

"Corrin isn't with us," Leo answered simply.

"So, he deserts his family and then hides in the shadows to let others deal with the repercussions," Takumi scoffed, "Not only a traitor, but a coward, too. To think, I had considered for a moment that we might be…"

"That's enough," Leo spat, "I won't have you speaking ill of my brother. Now, are you prepared to discuss your surrender?"

"My surrender?" the Hoshidan prince scoffed, "I came here to crush you, Nohrian scum."

"Your dreams will be short-lived, Hoshidan filth," Leo growled back, "In case you haven't noticed, you're surrounded, and we can sink this ugly ship of yours in a heartbeat."

"You think I didn't anticipate that?" Takumi shrugged, "Sky knights, attack!"

Leo and Xander craned their necks skyward to see pegasi and their riders storming down on them with spears drawn, glinting in the sunlight. "What?!" Leo started, "You coward! Archers, open fire!"

The Nohrian bowmen heard the command and sent their arrows skyward, knocking down several of the pegasi, but some still managed to hit their marks and knocked away the unprepared knights below. By now, troops rushed out of the galleon and either appeared on the deck, bows drawn, or began to fall in line behind their commander. Some of the pegasus riders remained in their air and fired arrows down upon the infantry below, eluding the Nohrian arrows.

Takumi glared at the Nohrian princes and drew his Fujin Yumi, which was illuminated with a teal, mystical light, "Now, what was that talk about surrender?"

"You swine!" Leo growled, "I'll crush you with my bare hands!"

"Leo!" Xander seized his shoulder, "Not now! We can't win like this, we have to drop back and assess our defenses!"

"If I let you," Takumi noted, training his bow on the youngest Nohrian prince.

He loosed the arrow, but Xander leapt forward and swatted it away, "Leo! There's no time for this, move!"

Leo grit his teeth and obeyed his brother, doubling back behind the established lines along with Xander and watching the Hoshidan troops file out of their ship and prepare to strike. He balled his fist and saw a mauve glow emanating from his Brynhildr. The Hoshidan prince was going to pay for embarrassing him like this.

[…]

Camilla rested her head on her fist and her leg on the chair's armrest as she and her father awaited the show's beginning. She sighed. This particular opera was a favorite of her father's, which meant that she had seen it some fifteen times by now. She found opera by itself fairly dull, but to have to watch the same show repeatedly so often made her wish she could simply shut her eyes and wait for the whole affair to be over, but, of course, to do so would be bad form.

Behind the stage, the guards had moved in and were centering on King Garon, meaning that there was plenty of time for Kaze and Silas to slip in and open the cage containing the wolfskin that Azura had already unlocked thanks to a deftly-stolen key from one of the dressing rooms. After the wolfskin began to walk out from behind the stage silently, they were shepherded along by Arthur and Effie, who, in turn, conveyed them to Jakob and Felicia, who would lead them along a pre-planned route through the city once they were all assembled.

Corrin waited very near the curtain, and he could see both Azura putting on the last of her makeup and King Garon staring out at the empty stage with cold eyes. He hadn't realized the king would be in attendance, and so he swallowed and looked back at Azura with wide eyes. Music began to play as the songstress neared the curtain. She looked at the distressed prince and whispered, "What's the matter?"

"Did you know King Garon was attending this performance?" he strained to whisper back.

"I had an idea," she murmured.

He frowned, "What does that mean?"

"Never you mind," she answered, "it'll be fine."

"Twenty minutes, Azura," Corrin told her, "We need to give the wolfskin a twenty-minute head start if they're going to evade capture. We have thirty minutes until the first scheduled intermission, when the wolfskin will be brought out, so someone will notice by then for certain. We have to leave somewhere in that time frame, understand?"

"I knew all that already," she answered.

"All I'm saying is…" he sighed, "be careful."

"I will," she assured him.

A shift in the overture was Azura's cue to take the stage, and she did so, her hair dyed purple and tucked back with as many ribbons and hair ties as Corrin had ever seen in his life to make it appear as short as the original performer's. She took center stage and began her song. Corrin had taken time to peruse the script of the production as they waited: the opera was a traditional one, written long before his time. Azura's role was unique in that she played a character within the narrative at the start, but became a chorus-like narrative voice after her character disappeared. The first act of the opera showed Azura's character, a woman bearing the soul of a dragon, pledging her love to a human man, and showed the birth of their son, who would become the story's hero. At the same time, it showed the abuse of the youth who would become the antagonist.

Suddenly, Corrin felt a push at his back. He started, and turned around to find a short man with a mustache scowling at him, "What? You're not in costume yet?! Hurry up!"

"I'm sorry, I—"

"You're going to be sorry if you're not on that stage in costume in the next two minutes!"

Corrin looked around the room frantically as a blue breastplate was fastened on overtop of his armor, a sapphire scarf was wrapped around his neck, and a fiery red wig was placed over his hair, adorned with a golden circlet. When the costuming assault was finished, he was shoved out onto the stage, where he stumbled a bit, earning some laughter from the crowd. Azura's eyes widened at him, and she mouthed "What are you doing?!"

Corrin mouthed back "Help me."

Azura glanced at the crowd and pirouetted. "Here is come the man to whom my heart belongs," she sang loudly.

Corrin thought hard about the script as he'd read it. He opened his mouth, which felt unbearably dry, and sang out, "My love is but a specter, she is gone."

"Fool son of man, can you not see?" Azura answered, extending her hand in an exaggerated gesture.

"The dragon is slain; you cannot be she," Corrin went on.

"Your desire is too strong, we shall never part."

"What you say is wrong, I have killed you in my heart."

Camilla became distracted by the male singer's off-key performance and decided that she would glance down to see what fool they had dragged up on that stage, most likely to see who her father would be executing the following morning. When she did so, she became instantly more focused on the performance, for the male singer seemed to her so strangely, ineffably familiar.

"Deathless soul of ages past, see now that the die is cast," Corrin and Azura harmonized, "Mortal folly, oldest sin, dragons' hearts torn from within…"

A light rain began to trickle down in the indigo darkness of the Cyrkensian night. The wolfskin hurried as they were conducted out of the building by Arthur and Effie. The rain began to dampen their fur. Gold light streamed out of innumerable windows, casting greenish glows on the water that flowed beneath the city.

"In cent'ries past, my heart has suffered much, but never more than the loss of your touch," Azura sang.

"The cruelest gods, to whom I once prayed, are those from whom was descended your name," Corrin responded.

"Am I not the woman for whom you stood?" Azura extended her arm longingly, "O, heartless man of nature good."

"Yours is not truly the form I see," Corrin turned into himself, "but a shadow, sent to torture me."

Jakob and Felicia hurried down the streets, hearing the wolfskin tear the ground up behind them, splashing through the puddles created by the steadying rain. Arthur and Effie left the building, seeing that all the wolfskin were gone, and Silas exited the performer's quarters to saddle up on his steed. Kaze poked his head into the backstage area and was surprised not to find his liege there. He crept closer to the stage and saw that he had joined Azura. Thinking quickly, he pulled out a shuriken and angled it to reflect the light of a candle flame into the prince's eye.

Corrin caught the gleam and saw the ninja in his periphery. He turned to Azura.

She drew close, and saw his eyebrows arch as he mouthed "Now!"

"Be I foul shade, still, deny me not this," Azura slowed her singing.

"My worldly body canst not resist," Corrin took her hand.

They stared into each other's eyes, "Our great sin, be it sealed with a—"

"HEY!"

The music halted suddenly, and chatter arose from the audience as they sought out the source of the interjection. The mustached man that Corrin had encountered earlier hopped onto the stage and shouted, "Someone's released the wolfskin!"

Shocked gasps broke out quickly, as well as panicked shouts that the wolfskin would appear and devour the crowd. Corrin cursed and looked at Azura, "We stayed too long! We need to run!"

"In a moment," she told him, stepping forward.

He stood, dumbfounded, then pursued her, "Wait… 'in a moment?' What does that mean, 'in a moment?' What are you—"

He was abruptly blinded by a shimmer of blue light that enveloped the room. He felt the wig fly off his head and the breastplate break off, revealing his proper armor, and felt a dampness, as if he were drying off from a swim in the lake. Suddenly, he noticed bubbles of water flitting about the room and sparkling like diamonds. When he looked ahead, he saw Azura, her hair returned to its original color and length. She wore a purple and gold ensemble that resembled the Nohrian night sky, and she had a veil over her lips. She faced King Garon and sang, as loudly as her lungs could carry, it seemed:

 _Embrace the dark you call a home_

 _Gaze upon an empty white throne_

 _A legacy of lies,_

 _A familiar disguise,_

 _Sing with me a song of conquest and fate,_

 _The black pillar cracks beneath its weight_

 _Night breaks through the day, hard as a stone_

 _Lost in thoughts all alone_

King Garon groaned, softly at first, but it grew louder as the singing continued, and his discomfort seemed to increase with each note. Camilla turned and faced him at one point, as these guttural grunts coming from her father seemed almost inhuman. She started as, for a moment, she saw not her father, but a beast with no form and empty, soulless eyes. The eldest Nohrian princess, in uncharacteristic shock, stood up and screeched upon this observation.

The guards around her misinterpreted her reaction: "Look at His Majesty! This song is some kind of curse! That woman is trying to assassinate the king! Seize her!"

Guards drew their swords and rushed the stage. Corrin seized Azura's shoulder, "Azura, enough! We have to leave!"

She scowled, seeing Garon sneering back down at her.

"Azura!"

She shook her head, "You're right, let's go."

He pushed her lightly toward the exit, and she began to run toward the door. Corrin swung at a few of the guards who rushed the stage and toppled them, following closely behind Azura afterward. Kaze greeted them as they ran out, knocking down two more guards in pursuit with shuriken. As they fled, Azura retrieved her naginata and used it to trip up or impale guards as they tried to block the path leaving the opera house. The rain beat down on all of them as they stormed through the streets, an endless crowd of soldiers chasing not far behind them.

Somehow, they managed to avoid capture long enough to escape from the city limits onto a nearby hill, a few yards away from their arranged rendezvous point with their allies. The black-and-gold mass of Nohrian and Cyrkensian guards swelled the streets as they continued to pursue their ghosts. The trio collapsed onto the grassy hill, panting heavily.

"This…" Kaze said, in between vast breaths, "Is why I suggested this plan be left to me."


	9. Growing Shadow

Corrin stood before the wolfskin, watching as a few of them licked their arms and scratched feverishly at their ears. Most of their tails were drooping. Some stared back, their eyes wide and attentive, while others looked off into the miasmatic night that was slowly descending on the hill. "I trust," Corrin began, "that my companions told you what this was all about?"

The wolfskin were silent for a moment until one with a hoop in his ear stepped forward, "Yeah, they told us Keaton told you folks to come get us."

"That's right," Corrin nodded, "I'm hoping to get the support of the wolfskin tribe."

"Support?" the same pierced wolfskin inquired, "For what?"

"I'm planning to lead a rebellion against King Garon of Nohr," the prince answered.

The wolfskin scoffed, "Good luck. Many have tried, Furless. They usually get as far as the front door and then—" he whistled while pointing with his finger to resemble an arrow shot from on high, and then made a "splat" noise.

"I understand, but I think with some help, I can avoid that," Corrin nodded.

"Well, save it. I don't like getting involved in human affairs. They're nothin' but trouble for wolfskin," the pierced wolfskin spat.

"I understand," said Corrin softly, "I hope I can change your mind. In any case, we're going to take a few more minutes to rest, and then we'll begin marching back to Mount Lupin immediately." The wolfskin murmured acceptance, and the prince left him among his peers. As he left the wolfskin, Corrin found his sister and her retainers, as well as his own retainers all crowded around a fire. They were beyond the cold reaches of Windmire by now, but the night still brought with it an unavoidable chill. He walked up beside where Elise was sitting and grabbed her shoulder, "How is everyone doing?"

She smiled at him, "I'm okay. Still cold, but I'm all right. I feel like we really did something for the first time in a while. My heart is still beating fast after all that."

"Indeed," Jakob agreed, "though I do not consider increased chance of cardiac arrest a positive."

"Oh, come on, Jakob," Corrin chuckled, "A little stimulation of the blood flow is good for the body, isn't it?"

"In healthy, regimented exercise, yes," the butler replied, "Not in fleeing for one's life in the pouring rain."

"Speaking of that rain," Corrin looked at the sky, "It sure cleared up quick, didn't it? I mean, I don't think my clothes are even fully dry yet, and…"

"We are quite close to the sea," Kaze noted, "Weather patterns linger less here than they do on the mainland because the winds blow the systems ashore and beyond."

"That must be it," Corrin concluded.

"Why don't you come take a rest, Lord Corrin?" Silas patted the ground beside himself, "You've been on your feet a while. It'll feel good to take a load off."

He scanned the ring of his allies around the campfire, "In a moment… Have any of you seen Azura?"

"She went over the side of the hill," Felicia piped up, "I think she might've needed to relieve herself…"

"Not when we're in such danger," Corrin shook his head, "No, she'd know better than that. Maybe I should go look for her."

"What if you're wrong?" Effie asked, chewing on a crust of bread, "If somebody suddenly stumbled in outta nowhere and saw me while I was trying to pee, I'd be pretty annoyed."

"It's a risk I'll have to take," Corrin sighed. He turned his back to the group and started over the hill that Felicia had pointed out. Fortunately, it seemed that Azura had not gone far, and that she was not, in fact, in the middle of relieving herself. With that matter thankfully settled, the prince continued down the hill and walked up behind her. "Azura?" he called.

She leapt about a foot in the air before turning around, her face already reddening, "Wha—Corrin? Goodness, don't scare me like that!"

"It's awfully hard not to when you run off and turn your back to everyone like that," he replied.

She remained silent for a moment, "Point taken."

"What's wrong, Azura?" he asked.

"Hm?" she turned to face him, "Nothing's wrong. I'm a private person—I like my alone time."

"You say that, but I have a hard time believing it," the prince answered, "I mean, you traveled all the way here with Kaze just to see me again, surely you must have wanted some kind of company."

"That's different. I wanted to see what you would do and how you would feel when you came back to Nohr," she folded her arms and looked back out at the night sky, "I wasn't eager to stay in a prison until my probable execution, either."

"All right," he accepted, "but what about back in Hoshido, the dragonstone you gave me… Did you just happen to have that with you for such an occasion?"

"I—" she hesitated, "I don't know what you mean."

"I've started to notice you go off on your own quite a bit," Corrin added, "And you've always got this sense of purpose in your eyes…"

"What are you implying?" she demanded.

"Nothing," he sighed, defeated, "it's just… Well, look: I grew up in the Northern Fortress with only my retainers and, occasionally, my siblings to keep me company. I didn't get to run around in big open spaces and meet new people or see new things, I just had the same four walls around me all the time, so… I guess it's hard for me to imagine that someone like you, someone who's been free to roam all her life, would rather go on standing by herself, rather than with all the people she's met."

This remark prompted a long silence from Azura, who stared long into the moon before her, unblinking, unmoving, unbreathing. When this silence seemed to drag on, Corrin called her name once more, and she cleared her throat. "I see your point," she admitted, "I can certainly understand how someone in your position might feel that way, but my life hasn't been as charmed as you might suppose. With the freedom to roam comes the fear that not everything you encounter will be benevolent."

"I see," Corrin said.

"I like you," Azura went on, "all of you. I simply fear being hurt again."

Corrin nodded, "I can't claim to understand what it is that troubles you, Azura, but you should rest assured that I'd never do anything to harm you, nor would I let anyone else do as much."

"I know," she said simply, gazing at the sky.

At once, Corrin became alerted to the sound of flapping wings and turned to see a black mass diving in upon the hill. "What?" he started, "Are we under attack? How did they find us?"

Azura tried to say something, but the prince took off up the hill quickly. She gathered herself and followed him up. When she came to the crest of the hill, she saw him standing, squared up against a woman with flowing amethyst hair, an ample figure, and, perhaps more notably, an obsidian wyvern growling softly behind her.

"Camilla," Corrin recognized her, "what are you doing here?"

"Why, I came for you, my little darling," she smiled at him, "you've been very naughty, breaking Father's toy soldiers like that."

He glared back and swallowed, "I-If you've come to kill me, I won't fall easily. I'm committed to my goal, Camilla. Even if… even if it means I have to go through you."

She put her palm on her sizeable breast and gasped, "Perish the thought, sweetie. I wouldn't want to harm a hair on your adorable head. I'm just pleased to see you weren't killed! I do wonder, though, why did you put yourself in such danger? Why not keep your head down and obey Father like we all do?"

"I just can't Camilla," he shook his head, "my conscience won't allow me to support a man who tried to have me—as well as dozens of innocents—killed."

"About that…" she went on, "You say Father tried to kill you with that nasty-looking sword he gave you, isn't that right?"

He nodded, "It exploded right there in the square, and then the fragments of it came straight for me. If Lady Mikoto hadn't stepped in to take the blow, I'd have been killed for sure."

"That's just as I remember it," Azura added, "and you can ask Kaze, the green-haired ninja sitting over there. He saw the same thing I did."

"But it just doesn't make sense," Camilla pouted, "Why would our own father try to do something so awful?"

"It's because the man you call 'Father' is no longer than man you believe him to be," Azura replied, "You may not believe me, but I confirmed my suspicions last night, in the opera house. I… can't explain exactly what I mean, but suffice it to say that King Garon is no longer himself."

Camilla bit her lip, "Could it really be? He has been acting different lately, and… the opera house, you say? He did look a bit odd in the opera house, almost as if… as if…"

"Camilla?" he brother approached her, "Does anyone else know you're here? I don't want to fight you, so, if there's nothing else, it would probably be best if you went on your way."

The eldest princess of Nohr sighed and gave her brother a wide smile, "I'll do nothing of the sort."

"What?" he tensed up, "Camilla, please, don't make me…"

"Oh, do settle down, darling," she cooed, sashaying up to her brother and placing a kiss on his cheek, "Although you are rather cute when you're morally conflicted and afraid. I'm not here to harm you, as I said."

"So," he paused, "what will you do?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she grinned, "I'll join you, of course. Nothing would make me happier than to stand astride my sweet little brother once more."

"Are you sure?" Corrin started, "You'd be betraying Father's wishes…"

She rolled her eyes, "Father has begun to bore me considerably. It used to be fun—a sabotage here, a few rumors spread there… now it's all war, war, war. And that stupid decoration he installed on the ceiling. I find joining you a much more stimulating prospect." She smirked as she watched her brother blush and stammer while she cupped his cheek. "In more ways than one," she finished, stroking his hair.

"Well, uh," Corrin took a step back, "Nothing could please me more than to have you join us, Camilla. Maybe with both you and Elise here, we can convince Xander and Leo to come along, too."

"Hm, perhaps," Camilla mused, "But they're away playing at war once again, I'm afraid."

"Playing at war?" Corrin repeated.

"Yes, father mentioned that the Hoshidans had launched a retaliatory invasion, headed by one of Hoshido's own princes, if I'm not mistaken," said Camilla, "He wanted Xander to head up the defense, and he told Leo to follow him, to gain tactical and combat experience, or something to that effect."

"And you're not worried about them?"

"Of course I'm worried about little Leo—he can be terribly frail at times—but he has Xander there with him. I can't see anything going wrong so long as that remains the case."

"We have to help them," Corrin decided, "But… we need to get the wolfskin back to their home, too. What to do…"

"You want to join the Nohrian army?" Azura grabbed Corrin and questioned him.

"Of course," he nodded, "I won't leave my brothers in peril."

"But… we've already distanced ourselves from Nohr, how can we—"

Corrin shook his head, "I don't know how many times I have to explain this: I didn't leave Nohr, I didn't rebel against Nohr, I rebelled against the rule of King Garon, nothing more. Keeping the lives of Nohrians safe is still part of my job as a prince."

"Your motives can be so difficult to comprehend," Azura replied.

Corrin smiled, "Look who's talking."

"We can make it home ourselves, if there's somethin' you need to do," Corrin heard the pierced wolfskin's voice again, "We know these parts well enough. All we gotta do is follow the scent."

"Will you be safe?" Corrin wondered.

"Now that we're free, no question," the wolfskin replied, "Those dirty furless freaks nabbed us when we were dozing in a cave. They won't have the same luck when we're wide awake."

"Can we trust that you'll tell Chieftain Keaton that we freed you?" added Azura.

"I don't like humans as a rule," said the pierced wolfskin, "but it takes a real scummy bastard to betray the folks who just saved his hide. Yeah, we'll tell Keaton."

"Thank you," Corrin extended a hand, "Please tell Chieftain Keaton that we hope we can count on his support for a better Nohr."

The wolfskin ignored the gesture, "Sure, we'll let 'im know." He turned and beckoned his comrades, "C'mon, boys! We're going home! Awooooo!"

The wolfskin scattered, dropping onto their hands and knees and rushing over the hills in the direction of Mount Lupin. Camilla giggled to herself, "Oh, this _will_ be fun. Corrin, darling, you make the most intriguing of acquaintances."

[…]

"Xander…" Leo choked out, his voice shaky, "This isn't looking good."

He watched waves of Nohrian troops storm forward at the Hoshidan galleon, but they were laid flat by the storms of arrows that continued to strike them.

Xander said nothing.

"If this keeps up, we'll be overrun. Our entire line will be killed in an instant!" Nohr's youngest prince continued.

Xander kept his eyes straight ahead.

Leo scoffed, "If you want to sit on your hands, fine, but I can't just watch us lose this fight!"

"Leo!" Xander halted him before he could move forward, "Don't throw your life away by going down there. The loss of one of Nohr's princes would be devastating for morale."

"That sure I'll die?" Leo growled.

"You said it yourself," Xander sighed, "We're outmatched as things stand now."

"So what do we do?!" the younger prince shouted in reply.

"We let Prince Takumi's flaws consume him," Xander answered, "Begin withdrawing. Let the prince think he's won the day, then crush him when his arrogance swells his head."

"But if we lose ground—"

"Trust me, I'm aware."

"Prince Xander!" a Nohrian soldier interrupted them both and inserted himself between them, "I beg milord's pardon, but the enemy is breaking down our ranks. There's a blue-haired woman wielding a lance and a brown-haired swordsman who are making a lot of trouble for us."

"Now's the time," Xander looked over at his brother, then back at the soldier, "Put in the order to retreat."

"Sir?" the soldier cocked an eyebrow.

"Did I stutter?" Xander growled, "Order a retreat."

"Y-Yes, sir," the solider jogged away.

"Are your retainers among us, Leo?" Xander asked.

Leo nodded, "Of course, Father told us to bring them along."

"How much confidence do you have in them?"

"The utmost."

"Good. The Hoshidan line will begin advancing in a few minutes, once the order is given."

"You want me to…?"

"I think it would be wise."

"So be it."

Leo retreated behind the Nohrian command post, where his retainers awaited him. Xander continued to look over the harbor teeming with soldiers as it continually became more chaotic. "I trust there will be no objections on your part," the crown prince of Nohr looked over his shoulder as the periwinkle-haired cavalier and silver-clad swordsman that served as his retainers emerged.

"You kidding?" Peri giggled, "I can't wait to see what noises Hoshidans make when they die!"

Laslow stroked his hair out of his face, "It's not like I haven't been through this sort of thing before. If anything, it's a little too familiar by now. They won't stand a chance against me, milord."

"Good," Xander nodded, "In that case, Peri, there will be another girl with blue hair wielding a lance at the front of the enemy's army—will you dispose of her for me?"

"You got it, Lord Xander!" she flashed a smile and a thumbs-up.

"And for you, Laslow," he looked down, "There seems to be a capable swordsman among the enemy's ranks. Can I count on you?"

Laslow scoffed, "Don't insult me, milord. Skilled though he may be, no swordsman is more capable than I."

"Just what I wanted to hear," Xander took a breath. At that moment, the Nohrian line began to withdraw, and a cheer rang out from the Hoshidans as they celebrated their triumph. Several Nohrians were caught as they attempted to turn and flee, dragged to the ground and subsequently impaled. The Hoshidan lines rushed after their enemies, nipping at their heels as they ran.

Another Nohrian soldier fell to the ground as he fled, and it looked as though he were about to be skewered by the Hoshidan spearman who loomed over him, but the foe was stopped in his tracks by an arrow that embedded itself between his eyes. He gurgled in shock and fell to the ground. "Oh, _yes_!" a white-haired archer emerged from the Nohrian lines, "Did you see that, Odin? The look of anguish on his face? Delectable!"

This remark was ignored, as an eruption of orange flame ripped a hole in the advancing Hoshidan lines. A blonde mage also appeared, "Stand back, forces of evil! Know your place: quivering in fear before the awesome might of the fabled hero, Odin Dark!"

"Say, Odin," Laslow called with palpable irony, "why don't you come down here and join the rest of us, instead of whatever weird posturing it is you're always doing."

"My poses are a sacred art that give me unparalleled strength!" the mage rebutted, coming forward to join the group, "…And they're not _that_ weird."

Laslow sighed and chuckled to himself, "I hate to say it… but it's almost nice to be fighting alongside you again. It feels like we never left."

Odin smiled, "May your eyes stay sharp and your blade strike true, Laslow of the Indigo Skies."


	10. Brothers in Arms

Laslow knocked the enemy down and planted his sword in his chest before the Hoshidan could struggle. A spearman advanced and attempted to impale him, but the mercenary blocked the blow. Their weapons clashed, but Laslow broke free with a kick and doubled back. The Hoshidan made to strike again, but he was toppled from an arrow on high. Laslow turned his head to see Niles glaring at him. "Keep your wits about you, pretty boy," Leo's retainer scoffed.

"Don't worry about me," Laslow told him, "Focus on the rest of the troops. They're having far more trouble than I."

Niles shot at an archer and watched him fall back. He snickered. Looking back down to Laslow, he shouted, "Spare me the bravado. You'd be getting dragged up and down these streets if it wasn't for me."

"Niles," he heard the authoritative growl of his lord's voice, "save it. Now's not the time."

He smirked, "Spoilsport. Oh, well. I'll just have to make you Hoshidan dastards _really_ scream for me!"

Leo cast his arm out and summoned a grove of vines that constrained a gathering of Hoshidan foot soldiers to the ground. Odin stepped out and set them aflame thereafter. Nohr's youngest prince rode over to where his eldest brother was standing and glared at him. "Xander," he tried to withhold his rage, "what are we doing sitting here? I thought you said we were going to lure the Hoshidans in and attack them."

Xander nodded, "That _is_ what we're doing."

"Then where's the 'attacking' part?" Leo demanded, "Because it seems to me like we're just waiting around to get bowled over."

Xander's voice was gravelly: "We just need… to hold on a bit longer."

"Are you mad?!" Leo growled, "you want us to wait _longer_? We're about ten minutes from being killed outright!"

"Leo," his brother shook his head, "I understand your concerns, but, for now, I need you to bear with me."

"I refuse!" Nohr's youngest prince barked, "I won't stand back while you watch our ranks be destroyed any longer!" Without another word, the blond prince spurred his horse among the massing Hoshidan ranks, and he skewered an advancing Hoshidan with his sword. He brought out Brynhildr once more and choked the life out of another four soldiers before the pegasus knights were upon him. He switched tomes and attempted to throw bolts of thunder at them, but the deft riders ignored his attacks and stormed after him with their naginata. Grimacing, Leo abandoned his steed and rolled into the dirt as one of the knights pierced the noble animal's flank, and the others doubled back into the sky to retry their attack.

"Lord Leo!" Niles gasped, seeing the knights circling overhead. He changed targets quickly and loosed his next arrow at one of the gathering knights, and it pierced the pegasus's wing, causing beast and rider to plummet to the ground. More knights continued to align themselves, however, and they dove down for another strike. Leo scraped his way off the ground and sprinted away as the flap of wings beat overhead, and he shut his eyes as he ran when he heard their blades embedding themselves in the ground behind him.

He heard the voice of Prince Takumi, "Don't let up! Hit the prince, quick! Better yet, lead him my way and I'll take care of him myself."

"Don't be so sure, Hoshidan filth!" Leo snarled back. This retort proved to be a mistake, as a torrent of arrows began to fall in his direction. He sprinted again, but his breath was becoming ragged and his legs burned as he ran. Despite his attempts to flee, one arrow stuck itself in his left forearm, causing him to drop to the ground and shout in pain.

Odin hopped down from a nearby outcropping and blew away a few of the advancing Hoshidans with a burst of flame. Another sky knight dropped down beside them. "Your heroic courage is inspiring, Lord Leo," Odin professed, "However, your sense of dramatic timing appears to be off—the enemy are not yet ripe to be beaten. I must recommend that we retreat… er, heroically, of course."

"Noted," Leo grit his teeth, stumbling to his feet, "All right, let's hurry."

Odin allowed his lord to drape his arm around his shoulder and began to draw him out of the line of fire, but more Hoshidans made the ground vibrate as they hurried toward them, to say nothing of the archers and sky knights who also had the prince and his retainer in their sights. Another sky knight fell into the dirt. "C'mon, you fair-feathered fools!" Niles growled, 'That's the way: line yourselves up and I'll bleed you all dry right quick!"

Leo walked gingerly alongside Odin, but their pace was far too slow, as the Hoshidans began to catch up. Just as it seemed they were gaining, Leo heard hooves pounding behind them and saw Xander appear to knock a line of the soldiers to the ground with a great shout. "Leo," Xander sighed, sounding more disappointed than anything, "why do you never listen to me?"

"I listen to you plenty!" Leo argued, "What you were doing wasn't working! We had to try something else!"

"To some extent," Laslow had also appeared beside them, and promptly kicked a Hoshidan spear fighter in the chest and stabbed him, "Lord Leo is not mistaken. We are in a bad way, no doubt, and I don't make that judgment lightly."

"We can't strike yet," Xander told them, "We simply can't. It's too soon, we just need to hold out. We just need a bit more time…"

"What are you holding out for, exactly?" Leo demanded.

"I thought Prince Takumi would advance by now, that his troops would be tiring out, and that his archers would be running out of arrows, but…"

"You miscalculated," Leo concluded.

Xander sighed, swatting away another Hoshidan, "I'm not infallible. I never pretended to be."

"Well, you weren't entirely mistaken," the group turned their heads and beheld Prince Takumi marching toward them. He trained his Fujin Yumi on the enfeebled Leo, "I'm here now, and I'm going to kill all of you."

"Not while I draw breath." They turned their heads a bit further, collectively, and discovered Corrin, pointing his Yato at Takumi.

The Hoshidan prince faced him immediately. "You…" he growled, "I found you at last, traitor!"

"I'll say this only once, Takumi," Corrin leered at him, "Stand down and withdraw your troops. Do that, and I'll let you live." Takumi's face tightened and he loosed an arrow at Corrin's head. The middle prince of Nohr side-stepped the strike and sighed, "I'll take that as a 'no.'"

"Your empty threats don't scare me, Nohrian scum," Takumi spat.

"Xander, Leo," Corrin looked over at his brothers, "support the rest of the troops. I'll deal with Takumi."

"Unacceptable," Xander responded, "I won't leave you to die."

Corrin smirked, "Oh, ye of little faith."

"I don't like the idea either," Xander heard Camilla as her wyvern drew near, "but I've been convinced it's for the best. Come and give us a hand, won't you, Xander?"

"Camilla?" Xander started, "Weren't you with father? And where have you been, Corrin?" He looked at the lines behind him and saw the remainder of Corrin's party appearing: Kaze chucked shuriken into the crowd of Hoshidans, Elise healed the wounded with Jakob and Felicia's help, Azura sang to keep her moving, and Effie and Arthur leapt down and sent the Hoshidans flying. "And what… is that a Hoshidan ninja? And Elise? And Azura? …I have _so_ many questions!"

"I hope to answer them in time, but for now…" Corrin shrugged at his older brother.

"Fine," Xander relented, "but I'm coming back if this becomes a problem."

Corrin nodded, and Takumi fired another arrow at Xander as he sped off. Corrin deflected it slightly with his Yato. "That's just rude," he scowled.

"Shut up!" Takumi fired again, and this strike caught Corrin off-guard, stabbing into his shoulder, "I'm not just going to stand here and let you be glib. You want a battle? You've got one!"

Another arrow came streaking toward Corrin's head, but the prince had already leaned forward into a dead sprint toward Takumi. He slashed with his Yato, but Takumi skipped back and kicked dirt in his opponent's face. Corrin grunted and made to rub his eyes, recovering just in time to duck out of the way of another arrow. He tried to close the distance again, and Takumi held his Fujin Yumi forward to intercept Corrin's overhead strike. The Hoshidan prince punched Corrin in the face and continued to drop back toward the rest of his troops. Several Hoshidan spear fighters came forward to strike at Corrin as Takumi readied his bow again. Corrin cut four of them down in rapid succession before Takumi struck again, but Corrin seized one of the fallen Hoshidans and shielded himself with the corpse, throwing it down afterward.

"It's no use," Takumi leered at the Nohrian prince, "my Fujin Yumi is fated to strike down the blackened hearts of villains such as you. You cannot win."

"I'm not intimidated by words, Takumi," Corrin replied. He held up his Yato, "This sword of mine is burdened by the weight of my choices and strengthened by my convictions. It draws strength from my willingness to control my fate. I won't stand down."

Takumi scoffed, "I'm not frightened by your little soliloquies, either. Bring it on."

Corrin sprinted forward with whatever strength remained in his legs, ignoring the growing pain in his shoulder. Another arrow flew by his face and grazed his cheek, but the Nohrian prince carried on and swung his Yato at Takumi. The Hoshidan prince blocked the strike with his bow again. Corrin growled, "Takumi! Surrender, now!"

"Never, Nohrian scum!" he growled in reply, shoving his bow down to break the stalemate.

That proved to be a mistake, as the shift in weight caused Corrin to lean forward and complete the swing of his blade. It missed Takumi's midsection, and instead sliced vertically down the prince's face, striking his left eye. Takumi fell to his knees and shouted in agony. Corrin grimaced and stepped back, "Ah… Takumi…"

"B-Bastard!" Takumi growled, "T-Traitor! You… you scum! Will you never be satisfied?"

"I asked you to stand down," Corrin replied tacitly.

Moisture mixed with blood as Takumi howled, "It wasn't enough to abandon your family, you have to kill us all, too? You don't think you've caused enough pain already?"

"Takumi," Corrin sighed, "I didn't mean… I just want this to be over."

"You lie," Takumi responded, "I saw what you did to Hinoka."

"I'm sorry, Takumi," Corrin shook his head, "but this has gone on quite long enough. Surrender now and withdraw your troops. Go back to Hoshido and don't try to invade Nohr again, or it won't be pleasant."

Takumi stood gingerly, his left hand over his eye and his right clutching his weapon, "Is that all you can say? What fear do you think there is left in me after what you've done?"

"I don't want to kill you, Takumi," Corrin said simply.

"No, you don't. That would mean accepting the consequences of your actions," Hoshido's youngest prince spat.

Corrin deepened his voice, "Will you stand down or not?"

"Of course I will," said Takumi, his voice drained, "What choice do I have? I can't fight in this state."

"Give the order," Corrin commanded.

Takumi lifted his hand and cried, "Hoshidans! Hold! Withdraw immediately! Our fight… is lost."

There was a rush of noise that might have been the sound of several hundred soldiers dropping their weapons, or the collective movement of the wind that came from as many soldiers sighing in relief and dropping to the ground.

"Thank you," said Corrin. He looked up the hillside, "Elise, this way! I need your staff!"

[…]

The surviving Hoshidans were all loaded back onto the galleon. Those left above deck shifted and stared uneasily at their commander as he stood at the end of platform, across from the assembled Nohrian forces.

Corrin exchanged stares with his estranged brother. "You should know, I never wanted things to turn out like this, Takumi," he said.

Takumi was unmoved, "You made your choice."

Corrin nodded, "So did you."

"I trust we won't be seeing you on Nohrian soil ever again," Leo added.

"Yes," Takumi answered, "I've had my fill of this dismal place. There's nothing left for me here."

"Safe travels, Prince Takumi," Corrin declared, turning his back and walking away.

The rest of the Nohrian royal family followed behind him, as did Azura, Jakob, and Felicia, who had also been watching at the sides of the dock. Takumi started upon seeing Azura, "Wait. You… Azura? How did you get here?"

Azura gestured toward Kaze, who was falling in line with the other Nohrian soldiers, despite their curious glances, "Kaze broke me out, and we sought Corrin together. We tracked him down in order to understand his plans, and we both decided that it was in our best interest to join him."

"I see," Takumi bowed his head, "Already, more of Hoshido's own begin to abandon her."

"Goodbye, Takumi," Azura turned around and resumed walking. Takumi also turned and ascended the gangplank to return to the galleon. The ship's captain assumed the wheel and gave the orders to move the vessel out of the port.

The Nohrian royal family made their way back up into what had been the Nohrian lines in silence, and, finally, Corrin let out a sigh of relief. Xander was the first to speak up, "Well, for what it's worth, brother, I'm both sufficiently surprised and relieved to find you still alive."

"Thank you, Xander," his brother bowed, "I'm glad to see you and Leo doing all right, too."

"That was some stunt you pulled back at the castle," Leo folded his arms, "Were you trying to frighten us all to death?"

Corrin chuckled, "No, not really. I just needed a way out of that situation."

"Well, for my part," said Xander, "I think you've earned a pardon. I mean, just look: you managed to halt a whole Hoshidan invasion by yourself by subduing their leader."

"I didn't quite do it by myself," Corrin replied, looking at the soldiers behind his brethren and retainers, "but either way, I don't think King Garon is in a pardoning mood at this point."

"He _did_ order that we execute you the next time we see you," Camilla recalled, index finger pressed into her chin.

"I understand," Xander sighed, "but, in that case, why help us at all? Aren't we more of a liability to you than anything?"

Corrin shook his head, "No, you remain my brothers, and Nohr remains my home—its people therefore my own. I just can't stand to live in King Garon's Nohr any longer."

"So, what do you mean to do, exactly?" Leo wondered.

"I plan to dethrone King Garon and revolutionize all of Nohr," Corrin explained, "I don't know that I'm strong enough to act as king myself, so I was hoping you would eventually take up the throne, Xander."

Xander frowned, "I understand your intentions, dear brother, and I can't say I agree with everything our father is doing, but to dethrone him… to me, that would be unthinkable."

"I feared as much," Corrin matched his brother's frown, "You don't have to join me right away, Xander, but I don't want to have to cross blades with you like I did with Takumi today. You saw me make a stand for Nohr, so I hope you'll believe me when I say I have her best interests at heart. King Garon is not who he seems to be, mark my words."

Xander shut his eyes and breathed for a few moments in meditative silence, "We won't impede you, of course, but I don't think I can stand beside you. Not yet."

"I understand," Corrin nodded. He turned to face Azura, "The only thing left to do is to figure out our next move. We need to get back to Mount Lupin, but…"

"You meant to visit that sage in Notre Sagesse, didn't you?" Azura recalled.

"Right," he sighed, "but now we're so far off… we'd have to retread a lot of ground, and I'm willing to bet Garon's troops will still be searching along the roads to Cyrkensia…"

Leo sighed, "If you need to get somewhere in a hurry, I suppose I can be of some help. Take this." He handed his brother a scarlet tome.

Corrin scanned the volume, which smelled musty, and had its pages darkened by weathering, "What's this?"

"It's an ancient tome containing a forbidden magic," Leo explained, "The spell is called 'Rewarp.' It can send you to any location you know of within moments. There was a time when Nohrian mages struck fear into the hearts of the citizenry by overusing these spells to appear and disappear anywhere they liked, so they had to be outlawed. The spells also use a lot of magical power, so their use is limited. To transport your whole group, I'd say there's enough power for exactly one more use—you'll have to cover the return trip yourselves."

"Thank you, Leo," Corrin smiled, "this is an indispensable gift. I think it will make a mountain of difference for our cause."

"I'm not coming with you, either," Leo shook his head, "Not yet, like Xander said. I have a few things I have to figure out on my own."

"I understand completely," Corrin nodded, "That just makes me all the more appreciative of your help, Leo. I hope that, with time, you'll come to see it my way."

"By the by," Camilla sauntered forward, "if we're taking a little detour, I'd like you to take a message to my dear retainers, if you wouldn't mind, Xander."

"Not at all," he agreed.

She pressed a piece of paper into his palm, "I hope I can trust you not to read that—private matters, you know. Just hand it to sweet little Selena whenever you see her."

"Of course," Xander stuffed the note into his armor.

"Then I guess this is goodbye for now," Corrin looked at his brothers.

"Take care, Corrin," Xander smiled at him.

Leo did the same, albeit in a more concealed fashion, "Do be safe. I'd hate to have to go looking for you."

Corrin concentrated on the tome his brother had given him and felt the power flow through the text until there was a flash of bluish-white light.


	11. Fantastic Wisdom

The light faded, and the image of the harbor filled with Hoshidan and Nohrian corpses was replaced with a set of cobblestone streets and modest two-story houses with folk in plain clothes meandering about the streets. These people didn't even seem to look up as the mystical flash dissipated and dropped Corrin's small rebellious army in the center of the small burgh. Corrin led his group forward and caught the attention of an elderly man whose back was bent. "Excuse me," Corrin entreated the man, "I'm searching for the city of Notre Sagesse, have I reached it?"

The man nodded, "Aye, you have."

"Excellent," Corrin smiled, "I was told to seek out a person called the 'Rainbow Sage.' Have you ever heard of such a man?"

The man wheezed and gave a long, dry laugh, "Everybody in Notre Sagesse knows the name, boy. He's one of the ancient masters who founded this city of philosophers. Some say he lived alongside the Light and Dark Dragons who created Nohr and Hoshido themselves."

"Is it," Corrin stammered, feeling slightly embarrassed, "Is it possible to meet the man?"

The elderly man laughed again and wheezed even more, such that Corrin feared he had actually run out of breath. That fear was assuaged immediately when he went on chuckling, however. "Well, some say ya can," the elderly man replied, "Plenty of adventurers and religious or philosophical types come to Notre Sagesse thinking they can meet the guy and gain greater power or omniscience or achieve nirvana… Honestly, the way those braggarts talk…"

"I'm sensing a 'but' coming," Corrin sighed.

"None of them ever returned," the man concluded gravely, "To date, it is said that only three people have ever met with the Rainbow Sage and lived: one was King Sumeragi of Hoshido, another was King Garon of Nohr, and no one knows the identity of the third."

"Kings Sumeragi and Garon," Corrin repeated, "We're in good company, I suppose."

"You intend to reach him, too?" the elderly man inquired, stroking his long beard.

"That's right," Corrin nodded, "I am a prince of Nohr, and I've come to seek the sage's power to spare my people the desolation of war."

"Hoo hoo!" the man chortled, "Is that right? Ain't often we have royalty around here… Then again, you might just be lying, mightn't you?"

"I will happily prove my lineage if it means you can help us in some way," Corrin answered.

The elderly man waved his arm, "Naw. T'ain't for me to judge. If what you say is true, you carry the blood of the Dark Dragon in your veins. If that's the case, you may stand a chance of surviving, but the only way to know for sure is to climb to the peak of Mount Sagesse—that's where you can meet the Rainbow Sage, inside the Sevenfold Sanctuary."

"So," Corrin pinched his chin, "it _is_ just like that merchant woman said. I guess she wasn't wrong about her information being top-notch." He turned to face his comrades, "All right, everyone, we have our new goal: we're going to climb Mount Sagesse and speak to the Rainbow Sage in the Sevenfold Sanctuary."

"Climb Mount Sagesse?" Silas swallowed, "Are you sure, Lord Corrin?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" he shrugged.

"Mount Sagesse is a notoriously perilous climb," said Azura, "Sherpas climb and descend from the it two days after the New Year's celebrations every year to retrieve and bury the unclaimed dead bodies that litter the mountain." As she said this, the blue-haired songstress gestured to the mountain with her thumb. Corrin swallowed hard as he noticed that the peak seemed to be hidden behind a veil of clouds.

"W-Well," he stammered, "all the same, we have to do it. If there's even a chance that this Rainbow Sage can give me the power to protect Nohr, I have to try."

Corrin heard the elderly man let out his wheezing laughter once more. "Ah, the ardor of youth," the man grinned at them, "You folks make me think that anything is possible. Good luck on your climb; it'd be a real waste for any of you to die."

"Thank you," Corrin nodded, "er, I think."

[…]

Oboro took another step toward the door, summoning her breath to her chest. Her hand vibrated with her apprehension as she knocked on the door, and the sound seemed to echo through the whole ship. "Lord Takumi?" she called.

There was a long pause. Oboro thought about knocking on the door again, supposing the prince hadn't heard her, but what if he had, and he was ignoring it because it was annoying him? In that case, the last thing she wanted to do was disturb him again. In the midst of her paranoia, she heard a voice come through the door: "Enter."

Fearing she may lose the chance if she waited, Oboro obliged her lord's welcome and came through the door, finding the prince laying on the bed in his small quarters, his eyes focused on the ceiling. There was an open book askew on a wooden desk not far from the bed, an overturned chair, and a candle that had melted into a stub in a pile of wax there, too. Oboro walked over to the side of the bed and examined the prince, bandages wrapped around his left eye. He still didn't look at her. "Lord Takumi," she bowed, "I wanted to apologize for my failure as your retainer. I should have prevented you from being hurt like that."

His good eye remained on the ceiling, "The failure wasn't yours, Oboro: I wanted to face my brother man-to-man, to test if his convictions were real, or if he really was being manipulated. I got my answer." At this point, Hoshido's youngest prince looked down at his retainer and smirked a little, "And I got a war injury, so everyone knows to take me seriously from now on."

Oboro giggled, "It'd still make me feel better if you hadn't been harmed. I can't help but to feel that I'm partially to blame."

"Don't," he ordered her, kicking his legs over the side of the bed to stand up, "None of this is your fault. My brother turned out to be a very different man than I thought he'd be, that's all. For now, it's so musty down here it's hard for me to breathe. Do you mind accompanying me on a walk around the decks?"

Oboro smiled, "Not at all, milord."

"And maybe when we get back, you can make me a new outfit. I'll need to command some serious respect now that I'm a battle-scarred general," he added.

Oboro blushed and grinned brightly.

[…]

Corrin continued to place one foot in front of the other as he scaled the mountain, focusing on the sounds of his own panting as he went on, as the wind stung his eyes, his hands and feet had become numb, and he could only barely breathe the thin air.

Azura walked steadily beside him, seeming nowhere near as exhausted. He turned to see her once and was shocked by the way she continued to walk with her normal gait, head straight forward and no audible grunts or breaths. She looked over at him, too, and her face was neutral—no signs of exertion. "Are you tired, Corrin?" she asked.

The red-faced, sputtering prince nodded and gave a half-hearted, "A bit."

"Would you like me to sing?" she wondered.

"No," he waved his arm, "don't put yourself out on my account. How can I lead you all up this mountain if I can't do it by my own power?"

She seemed to smile for the first time that Corrin could recall in a while, "You have a habit of taking things upon yourself, Corrin. Even when you don't seem entirely capable of succeeding, to be brutally honest."

He laughed, rendering himself out of breath for a moment, then recovered, "Suppose you've got me there. I guess I'm predisposed to want to prove my usefulness. Every day, when I was imprisoned in that fort, I waited for someone to come along, and I wanted to show all my siblings how mature I was becoming. Xander especially—whenever he came around, I wanted so desperately to show that I was strong, capable, and independent. I thought that if he felt I was capable enough, I might someday be allowed to leave and be with everyone else." As he finished the thought, he frowned.

"I'm sorry if I brought up a painful memory," Azura said.

Corrin shook his head, "No, I'm past it now. It's not worth lamenting what's already happened."

Azura considered that remark carefully as Corrin turned his head to stare back toward the peak of the mountain, which, to the group's collective relief, finally seemed to be drawing a bit closer.

[…]

The march had ceased for the day, and all the soldiers were receiving some well-needed rest, but their commander remained awake. Ryoma's thoughts remained with his brothers—both of them—throughout the night. He assumed it was night, anyway: Nohr was so interminably dark that it was impossible for a Hoshidan to see any distinction between the hours there. Regardless, he feared first for Takumi: he was equally proud and fearful when Hoshido's youngest prince volunteered to lead his kingdom's vanguard against the Nohrian menace. Takumi would doubtless encounter harsh resistance from the Nohrians, but that was a part of their plan: if he succeeded, the remainder of the Hoshidan forces would be on much more equal footing with the crippled Nohrian army, and… even if he failed, Nohr's army would be drawn away from its capital for some time, prompting a prime opportunity to strike.

It was a well-crafted plan, one they had all believed in upon leaving Hoshido that day. It was a plan that would bring this tragedy to a satisfactory end, and one that would honor the passing of their mother. In the days since the attack, Ryoma had tried to avoid thinking of his mother, as those thoughts inevitably brought his mind to the subject of his other brother, the one who had betrayed them and fled to Nohr. Ryoma avoided thinking of Corrin even more desperately, afraid that he may have to accept that his brother conducted the attack on purpose in service to the treacherous Nohrians. Such a thought made the high prince of Hoshido sick to his stomach whenever he considered it. He hoped he could meet his brother just once more to ensure that it was not the case.

Ryoma reached for the hilt of his Raijinto as the flap to his tent swung open. He calmed down when he saw his sister's red hair poking in. "Ryoma?" she called to him, "You're awake, right?"

"I am," he folded his arms and shut his eyes, "What brings you here, Hinoka?"

"Probably the same thing that's keeping you up," she guessed, "about whether or not we can actually pull this off, and about Corrin."

"I understand," the samurai grunted, "for now, I think it's best if we focus on executing the plan. Whatever happens, if we at least make an effort to do what we're planning, we'll have brought honor to the Hoshidan royal family. What's more, if we're even remotely successful, we may not slay the shadowy beast of Nohr all in one night, but there's a good chance we'll give the whole world something new to think about when they talk about the relations between our countries.

Hinoka smirked, "You know, Ryoma, I can't think of anyone better to lead Hoshido than you. Your confidence is inspiring. My heart feels lighter just from having spoken to you."

"All that is good in me began with King Sumeragi and Queen Mikoto," he answered, "It is a samurai's duty to fight relentlessly for his home—to give his very life, if necessary. I may be a prince, but it is my code that gives me the strength and discipline to struggle against villainy."

Hinoka nodded and sighed, "Even so, I'm finding it hard to think of our brother as a villain."

"As am I, sister," Ryoma agreed, "as am I."

"I should get back to bed," Hoshido's eldest princess supposed, "I need to be in top form if I'm going to be leading so many troops."

Ryoma nodded and gave her a smile, "A point well made. I'll do the same. Good night, Hinoka."

"Good night, Ryoma."

[…]

Kaze frowned as he bowed before his lord, "It is as you suspected, Lord Corrin. The corridor is empty."

"Damn," Corrin sighed.

He heard the beating of hooves and turned around to see Silas approaching from the opposite side. "Sorry, Lord Corrin," the knight shrugged, "there's nothing down there but ancient-looking pottery and idols."

"But how can that be?" Azura wondered aloud, "We were told to enter the shrine… the sage should be here somewhere. Did that man really just give us false information?"

"It can't be so simple," Corrin pinched his chin, "Why would he do such a thing?"

Camilla sighed and chuckled at her brother, "I don't think you realize how many people detest Nohrians, my dear."

"But he didn't seem malicious at all," Corrin continued, balling his fist.

"Hey, big brother!" he started as he heard Elise call from down a gap in the wall, "Look at this!" Corrin and the rest of his group followed the young girl's voice down the narrow, hidden hallway and found her standing beside an inconspicuous green door. A lock was affixed to the door, and a paper with blotches of ink was pasted to the lock. "It won't budge," Elise explained, tugging at the lock for effect.

"Should we break it down?" Silas asked.

"No, wait," Corrin held out his hand, "Those symbols look familiar. I saw them printed on scrolls in Hoshido."

"Of course," Kaze brushed past them and inspected the paper, "It's a talisman, written in the Hoshidan alphabet. It seems it was set in place with some spell to protect this door."

"Can you read what it says?" Corrin asked.

"Certainly," Kaze eyed the talisman, "I believe it's a riddle. It says, 'The sagacious path waits behind this door, but only wisdom can beget wisdom. Prove that you possess sight beyond sight to be granted immortal knowledge.'"

"Sight beyond sight?" Azura repeated, "What could that mean?"

"There's a rotating piece on the lock," Elise pointed out, jiggling a protrusion of four spinning rings connected to a mechanism on the base of the lock.

"The rings also feature Hoshidan characters," Kaze observed.

"Perhaps if we find the right combination, we'll be let in?" Corrin supposed.

Silas shrugged, "In that case, why not try them all at random? It might take some time, but we're guaranteed to get it eventually, right?"

Kaze shook his head, "It would be best not to trifle with it. I've laid traps with protection charms given to me by Hoshidan onmyoji in the past: they can be rigged to explode or release poisonous gas quite easily. We'd better play along."

"But how do we go about proving we have 'sight beyond sight?'" Silas frowned, "What does that even mean?"

Corrin looked to Azura, who was staring back, equally perplexed. He began concentrating his vision very hard, his eyes fixing. Azura blushed, "Er, Corrin, I'm sure you're in deep contemplation, but could you not stare at me like that? It's a little uncomfortable."

He blinked, "Hm? Oh, sorry, I wasn't looking at you, it was the wall behind you. Doesn't it seem… I don't know, off?"

She turned around and glared at the wall. It seemed ordinary enough at first, but, after a moment's time, she began to see a corner that seemed out of place, as if wallpaper were peeling, but the wall itself bore no paper. It glowed with a strange magenta hue, and seemed to alternate between jumping and playing like fire and bubbling. "I see what you mean," she announced, and she pointed to her observation, "Look here."

The rest of the group did so. "I don't see anything," Silas shrugged.

"Nor I," Kaze added.

"I must admit that I, too, remain in the dark," Jakob contributed, narrowing his eyes fiercely at the wall.

"But… it's right there," Corrin insisted, pointing to the same spot.

"Yes, what's the matter with you all?" Camilla looked around, "It's plain as day if you give it more than a simple glance."

The others disagreed.

"Oh, yeah," Elise smiled, "now I see it."

There was a moment of debate between the group in trying to determine who was seeing things or not, or who might have been making things up to seem smarter. Through the argument, Corrin walked over to the wall and placed his hand on it, and it ripped quickly like paper under the pressure, giving way to an alcove that showed four Hoshidan characters. "Kaze," the prince summoned, "can you see if these characters match those on the lock?"

Kaze did so, no less incredulous at what he had seen, and compared the figures to the lock. "Earth, sky, man, and dragon," he observed, "all four appear on the lock. Although… the ones on the lock use an ancient style of calligraphy… they take on less literal meanings the way they're written here. As they appear, I'd translate them as 'Hell, heaven, mortality, and immortality,' in that order."

Silas massaged his temples, "The Hoshidan language is so confusing."

"Give the combination a try," Corrin commanded.

"Yes, milord," Kaze matched the pattern. When he finished, a blue spark ignited at the base of the talisman. "Stand back!" he shouted. The flame, however, only burned the paper of the talisman and afterward dissipated harmlessly. After a few panicked seconds, everyone regrouped before the door as the lock fell to the floor.

They stared on as a white-and-green light peeked out from the space behind the door as it slid ajar. Corrin stepped forward, "I'll go in first. Keep your wits about you, everyone."

Corrin had to shield his eyes as he stepped through, for the light was intense and seemed to be burning him as he walked through, but, after just a moment of that sensation, he realized that it felt very much like pleasant sunshine, and provided only a dull warmth. He opened his eyes and found himself standing before another door: the very same door where he had spotted the elderly man before his journey up Mount Sagesse began. As if on cue, the same man stepped out, of the door, eyes a little wider open than before, "Ah, there you are. Well, color me impressed."

Corrin looked around and stared at the old man, bewildered, "Come again?"

He smiled, "The door to the Rainbow Sage leads here, son."

"So then…" the prince pieced the information together, "You mean to say that you're…?"

"That's right," he nodded, "I am he that is spoken of in the legends."

Corrin scowled, "Then why didn't you just tell us that before? You could have saved us all considerable trouble."

The man laughed his usual wheezing laugh, "Do you have any idea how busy my life would get if people thought they could just see me whenever they wanted? Nuh-uh. Not happening."

"Then," the prince stared, "will you grant me the power you bestowed on the others."

"No," replied the Rainbow Sage.

Corrin frowned, "Why not? We did what you asked us to do, we solved your riddle…"

"I can't give you the power," the man smiled, "You've already given it to yourselves. Climbing that mountain was no easy feat, eh? See if you don't feel lighter now just standing here."

Corrin rotated his arm and stretched his legs, "Now that you mention it…"

"But there is something I _can_ give to you in particular, wielder of the Yato," the Rainbow Sage went on.

The prince grasped at the hilt of his sword, "How did you…?"

The man shook his head, "I know all there is to know about you, and a good deal more than that. Now, hold it out for me." Corrin complied and held the Yato forward. The Rainbow Sage stretched his arms out and held his palms over the sword. He chanted, "I, who forged the sacred blade… I, who committed the great sin… I, who wove the divine colors… I call on you now, Seal of Flames!"

Corrin started as the Yato began to glow and radiate a similar warmth to what he had felt when he arrived before the sage's door. "The 'Seal of Flames?'" the prince repeated, examining the sword, "What's that?"

The Rainbow Sage smiled, his eyes closed, "It is the limit placed upon the Divine Blade Yato, which I have just released. Its latent power slumbers no longer. All you need do is earn the trust of those who possess the other divine weapons."

"Other divine weapons," Corrin thought, "Like Xander's Siegfried."

The man nodded, "That is one of them. They will allow your Yato even greater power."

Corrin nodded, returning the blade to its hilt, "Thank you, sage. You've done me an incredible kindness this day."

The man laughed, "I didn't do it for my health, boy. The strings of destiny have been pulled taut by your hand. Mine was the easy part, it'll be up to you to use your power to save this world."

"I think I understand," he bowed his head, "I swear I won't waste this gift."

"Before you got," the sage halted him, there's something else you should know. Corrin turned and watched the sage, listening intently. "You may recall the third person I spoke of," he said.

"That's right," Corrin recalled, "You said no one knew that person's identity… but you must know who it was, then."

The sage laughed a bit more, "That's just the thing. I know of her, but I don't actually know the girl herself."

"Huh?" Corrin's eyes went wide, "How can that be? I thought you were omniscient… or at least, sort of."

"You're quite right, but this girl," the sage continued, "she's something special. Something not of this world. There are others like her already here, but she's the only one who came to meet me. Nice girl."

"I don't understand," the Nohrian prince admitted.

"I don't expect that you will," the sage sighed, "but your destinies are interwoven. You will meet this girl from another world… in fact, you've already begun looking for her. By the time you find her, you will already know the truth. Reveal that truth to her, and she will help you succeed."

"I'm so confused," Corrin scratched his head, "How will I know it's her? What is this truth you're talking about?"

"To reveal more would end my part in fate's play prematurely," the sage sighed, "I'm not long for this world, but I'd like to enjoy it just a bit more before I go. Look for a girl with curly ruby hair and a long purple coat at the end of your road, Prince Corrin."

Corrin stared at the sage a moment and shrugged, "Very well. Thank you for everything, sage. Although, one last question, if I may?"

The Rainbow Sage rolled his eyes discreetly, "Yes?"

"That riddle about sight beyond sight… how did you know that I would be able to see into that alcove in the wall? How did you know I'd find the combination?"

The sage's eyes widened, "I didn't. The lock opens with any combination, as long as all four rings are rotated—the charm tests courage."

"What?!" Corrin started, "Then what of the characters in the alcove, behind the false wall? Why does the riddle say it's a test of wisdom?"

The sage shrugged, "Two very different questions. The charm _is_ a test of wisdom—as in, are you wise enough to know when to trust your gut? As for the alcove, well… that's to help protect me from false positives." Corrin opened his mouth to speak, but the sage stopped him, "No more questions, now. I'm quite tired. You have everything you need."

Corrin sighed and thanked the sage once more for his help. As he began to walk away, the rest of his group appeared in a brilliant flash of light. Azura halted him at once, "Where are we? Did you meet the Rainbow Sage?"

"We're back in town, and yes," Corrin answered.

"Well?" she said expectantly, "What did he have to say?"

"He gave me a new power," Corrin explained, clutching the hilt of his Yato, "And now, we have no more time to delay. We have to go speak with Chieftain Keaton."


	12. Neither Man Nor Beast

"A new power?" Azura repeated with a curious lilt, "How do you mean?"

"I don't exactly understand it myself," Corrin admitted, "but I was told that when I commanded the respect of the wielders of the other sacred weapons, the Yato would become more powerful."

"And by other sacred weapons…" she continued.

"Xander's sword is called Siegfried, and it was said to have been hewn by the Dark Dragon and passed down through the Nohrian royal family," Corrin answered, "Presumably there are more weapons like that. I seem to recall Leo received a tome with a special name."

"Takumi's Fujin Yumi and Ryoma's Raijinto would also seem to fit the bill," Azura thought aloud.

Corrin folded his arms, "Hm. I hope Takumi and Ryoma's weapons aren't integral to powering up the Yato. If I had to guess, I'd say my chances of getting them to cooperate with any of my plans are slim to none."

"It _would_ be difficult," Azura concurred.

"Ah, pardon me, you two," they turned their heads to see Camilla stepping in between them, "I hope you don't mind, but I'd like a moment to chat with both of you."

"We don't mind at all," Corrin smiled, "What can I do for you, sister?"

She giggled, "Oh, my sweet little Corrin. There are a great many things you could do for me, but for right now, I wanted to ask a bit more about your plans. Elise filled me in on most of the details, but she trailed off when we got to something about interacting with the Wolfskin."

"Oh, right," Corrin nodded, "That's why we were in Nestra: we had to rescue some Wolfskin who were being held against their will in order to curry favor with their chieftain, Keaton."

"And you were planning to recruit them to fight for you against father, is that it?" she pressed.

"Right," Corrin nodded, "We'll never match King Garon for numbers, but the Wolfskin are a fearsome opponent—the sight of even a few of them would be enough to send most people running for the hills."

Camilla grinned and hugged her brother tightly, "Aww! Listen to my darling brother, plotting his way to victory like a true black-blooded Nohrian." Azura gasped at the remark, and both Camilla and Corrin turned their heads. "What's the matter, dear?" Camilla inquired.

Azura glanced at Corrin, "She called you 'black-blooded.'"

Corrin laughed. Camilla did the same, but suppressed her laughter with her palm. "That's a compliment here in Nohr, darling," Camilla explained, "It's said that Hoshidan blood runs red because it's full of vigor and all the comforts it needs to survive, but Nohrian blood is cold and black, because Nohrians have to struggle for every inch they can get. It's been that way even since I was a child. Oh, the things I had to do to keep myself safe in King Garon's court." She paused and chuckled again, shivering a bit, "The point is, we Nohrians like to think we have a strong inclination toward survival at any cost. Raw determination is a virtue, and if you find an opportunity, you have to seize upon it and never let go, even if your fingers start to bleed."

Azura's face became pale as she stared back.

"Not everyone would take it to such dramatic extremes," Corrin added, "but yes, a Nohrian never yields when he knows what needs be done."

"To that end," Camilla interrupted, "I'd like to converse with Azura in private for a moment, if I may?"

"By all means," Corrin nodded, "I'll check up on Elise." With that, he stopped while the women kept walking.

"I'd like to say, for the record, I don't trust you," Camilla said.

Azura's eyes widened, and then she looked at the path before her, "That's understandable. I imagine a lot of Nohrians would be suspicious of me."

"I don't mean because you lived with the Hoshidans," Nohr's eldest princess shook her head, "Your actions are more suspicious than the company you used to keep. You always disappear, leading Corrin to come find you. I always dread seeing him run off, thinking he might not make it back."

"Princess Camilla, I assure you, I have no—"

"I wasn't finished. Besides that, don't think I don't remember where you came from, girl."

"Where I came from?"

"You honestly don't think I'd remember a girl with hair and dress as ludicrous as yours in Nohr's court?"

"Oh. That. Honestly, I don't recall much about those days. It was a very different time in my life, one I'm quite eager to forget, so I bear you no ill will, Camilla, truly."

Camilla let out a huff and her nostrils flared a bit like an angry wyvern's. Her tone did not match her reaction: "If you say so, dear."

Immediately after that, the pair were distracted by a sudden cry: "Hey, Lady Camilla!"

The princess lifted her head to find her retainers riding on the back of Beruka's wyvern, speeding toward her with smiles on their faces. When they came close, Selena hopped down and approached her first, while Beruka set her wyvern down gently and then stepped down, walking after her peer. "Oh, if it isn't trusty Selena," Camilla clasped her hands together and made a fawning smile. She whispered through her teeth at Azura, "We'll get back to this later."

Selena scowled, "It was sure nice of you to just abandon us like that!"

"I'm sorry, dear," Camilla said, pouting, "Pressing matters took precedence. Were you lonely?"

"W-What?" Selena blushed, turning her head, "N-No! Why would _I_ be lonely? You were the one who went out all by yourself."

"Flying solo significantly increases your risk of termination," Beruka added.

Selena glanced at her and then turned back to Camilla, "I think what she means is that we were worried about you."

"I'm curious," Camilla admitted, "How did you two end up finding me?"

"We read the letter you gave to Lord Xander, duh," Selena folded her arms, "Uh, milady."

"And you got here so quickly?" said Camilla.

"Haste is critical in performing rescue operations," Beruka concluded.

"Like I said, we were worried about you," Selena concurred.

Camilla nodded and embraced them both, "Well, I can't thank you sweethearts enough for coming to find me, but I'm afraid you catch me at a bit of a crossroads. My brother has chosen to stand against King Garon, which puts him at odds with Lords Leo and Xander, as well as the king himself."

"So?" Selena cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm offering you both a choice," Camilla extended her hand, "since your happiness means everything to me: would you prefer to stay in my employ, or King Garon's? One, I'm afraid, mutually excludes the other at this juncture."

"You've provided everything I've ever asked, Lady Camilla," Beruka answered quickly, "I've never considered myself as serving a nation—too large a prospect for my line of work. I take orders directly from you, no one else."

"And you, Selena?" the princess looked over.

"I…" she frowned, then sighed and looked up at her lady, "I'm… not sure, Lady Camilla. One of each of Lord Leo and Lord Xander's retainers are friends of mine. If we had to stand against them, I'm not sure if…"

"It's all right, sweetie," Camilla cooed, "I won't take it personally."

"Hey, you!" the group turned their heads to see Corrin rushing up to meet them. "Miss!" he called, "With the red hair, I'd like a word!"

"Corrin, darling," Camilla started, "what's the fuss?"

Corrin ignored her and stared at Selena for a moment before sighing, "No, I guess not."

Selena scowled at him, "Hey! What's your problem? You think you can just shout at me, then run over and eye me up and walk away with no explanation?! I oughta teach you some manners!"

"Easy, Selena," Camilla stopped her, "I'm sure my brother has a good reason for this interruption… Er, right?"

"Oh," Corrin blinked, "Sorry, I suppose that _was_ a bit strange, wasn't it? You see, the Rainbow Sage told me I was supposed to look for a red-haired girl with a purple coat, and then I remembered there was a merchant back in Windmire who asked me to look for a redheaded girl, and I started wondering if they were connected and… well, you're the first redheaded girl I've met thus far, but you don't match either of the descriptions I've heard."

Selena blinked, "A red-haired girl, huh? You've got some nerve."

"I'm sorry," Corrin scratched his neck, "I was excited by the thought, but… I realize it was a little odd."

She stood still with her eyes closed and her arms folded for a moment, "Lady Camilla, I'll join you."

"Oh?" Camilla turned, "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"That girl Lord Corrin just mentioned… I think she's someone I know, too. And if that's the case, it's vital that I find her," she answered.

"Well now," Camilla chuckled, "it's quite the intricate web the fates have woven us, isn't it?"

[…]

Xander and Leo entered the throne room, Xander's arms at his sides and Leo's behind his back. They looked up to their father as he watched them enter, failing to notice Iago appearing to stand beside his throne. "Father," Xander announced, "thank you for receiving us. As you requested, Leo and I succeeded in vanquishing the Hoshidan landing party. They'll trouble us no longer."

"Excellent," the king exhaled, "You two have done well for our kingdom. Leo, I'm impressed by your martial ability. I hope we can count on you becoming an even greater asset to Nohr."

"Of course, father," he bowed.

"With that said, I have new assignments for you both," he declared, "Xander, I have heard whispers of another Hoshidan invasion making its way over the Bottomless Canyon. I'd like for you to take as many troops as you require and see to the veracity of these rumors, and, if they prove true… act accordingly."

Xander bowed his head, "As you command, father."

"Leo, I have a special assignment in mind for you, given your recent success," King Garon continued, "This assignment should not require combat, although it may entail some violence. I ask this of you to show your diplomatic skill in addition to your strength. Follow Iago out of my chambers, and he will detail your task."

"Very well," Leo nodded, scowling at the dark-haired sorcerer stepping up to meet him.

[…]

"Is it me," Silas asked, squinting at the top of the mountain, layered with ominous black clouds, "or does Mount Lupin look… gloomier than before?"

"I think it was always that dark," Corrin surmised, gazing at the violet sky overhead, "Maybe the difference is in the time of day."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Kaze piped up, "something here is making my skin crawl. I suggest we be on our guard."

Corrin looked over at Kaze to see the severity on the ninja's face. "All right," he nodded, "let's not waste any time, then."

Hastening their climb up the mountain, Corrin's group quickly learned what had left Kaze and Silas feeling unsettled: the roofs of the Wolfskin huts had been crushed or dented, and some of them still glowed with red and orange as smoke billowed in black wisps from the holes. As they entered the village, they spotted a young Wolfskin, his face beaten and bloody, and a gaping wound in his chest. Continuing, they spotted another—the Wolfskin with the pierced ear, eyes bulging out of his skull in apparent fear, his face lacking color, as if he'd been strangled long before he died. The cadavers became more numerous as they went on, to the point where Camilla felt it prudent to cover Elise's eyes despite her insistence that it was unnecessary. The final straw was when the group passed a mother Wolfskin curled around her children, her back split wide open. Corrin's group shielded their eyes and pressed on to the center of the village, where they found the body of Chieftain Keaton sprawled out, bruises and hardened blood coating his face and his fur.

Corrin knelt down beside him at the site. "Dammit," he sputtered, "they killed him. They killed all of them."

At the sound, Keaton's ears twitched and he lifted his head. "There's still more… where that came from," the Wolfskin wheezed.

"Chieftain Keaton!" Corrin started, "Elise, Felicia, Jakob—your staves!"

The three came forward and began healing the fallen Wolfskin chieftain until he stood once more and growled at them all. He ran his hands over his face and scraped away some of the blood that had dried onto it. "Humans…!" he growled, "Get away, humans!"

"Chieftain Keaton!" Corrin called to him, "We're not your enemies! They've already departed."

"Enemies," he was still snarling, "They're… they're not here… yeah… You… you smell familiar."

"I'm Prince Corrin of Nohr," Corrin re-introduced himself, "I was the one who freed the Wolfskin being held in Nestra."

"That's right," he recalled, "it was the night after they came back… hundreds of Nohrian humans marched into this village. There was a shady, snakelike guy leading them. Mages set fire to the houses… How many made it?"

Corrin stared at the ground.

"I'm asking you a question, prince," Keaton leered at him, "How many of my tribesmen are still alive?"

"Keaton, I…" he stuttered.

"It appears the entire village was razed, Chieftain Keaton," Azura said in his place.

Keaton shut his eyes and balled his fist, "Hell of hells. Everybody, huh? Dad always said somethin' like this'd happen if I didn't shape up and start acting like a real chieftain. Now look what I've done."

"Chieftain Keaton," Corrin said softly, "It should go without saying that we won't expect any aid from the Wolfskin anymore. We'll do everything we can to support you."

"You want to support me?" he looked up, "Give me some of those guys to kill."

"Guys?" Corrin cocked an eyebrow.

"The Nohrian humans who attacked my kinsmen. They have to pay," he growled.

"I beg you not to blame all Nohrians for this attack," said Corrin, "I think I may know who's ultimately responsible, and he doesn't represent all of us."

"Then show me to him," Keaton demanded.

"I can't," Corrin replied, "He's too powerful for us to go after right now. If we tried, we'd be killed straight away."

"Then let me join you," he insisted.

"What?" Corrin started, "Chieftain Keaton, are you sure? After what you've just been through? All of the Wolfskin…"

"There are other Wolfskin in the world," he replied, "and they won't be safe until I rip whoever did this apart. Wolfskin work in packs, and there's no pack left for me here… let me join yours."

"Are you absolutely sure about this, Chieftain Keaton?" Corrin asked.

"I'm sure. Wolfskin don't bother tending to the dead when the enemy is still on the prowl—we just have to mourn privately and keep running. And you can stop calling me 'chieftain:' I'm no longer a leader."

"Keaton," Corrin nodded to him soberly, "What has been done today is unforgivable. I thank you for your kindness, and for your bravery in choosing to join us. I promise you a chance to repay the debt that has been incurred today. Mark my word—you'll make them pay for this. _We'll_ make them pay for this—I swear it."

"I don't have much reason to trust humans right now," he sighed, "but you did help us out once. I owe you at least a little favor. Prove to me that you're worth trusting, and we won't have any problems."

"I wouldn't lie to you, Keaton," the prince swore, "My retainers will finish healing you, and I'll have one of them make you something to eat to restore your strength." He grunted in reply.

Azura turned to face Corrin. She said nothing and watched him as he failed to make eye contact for several minutes. When a chilling breeze passed over them and blew her hair into her face, she spoke up: "Corrin… what will we do now?"

"What can we do?" he answered, not looking up, "We'll go to the Ice Tribe lands immediately to ensure that this massacre isn't repeated."

"You think they'll attack the Ice Tribe?"

"It's only logical. Keaton said the Nohrians attacked them after we rescued those other Wolfskin, so they were deliberately coming after somewhere we'd visited before."

"But what if it was just Nohr lashing out in retaliation for our rescue? We did kill at least a few Nohrian soldiers in the process."

"And that fact haunts me, but that wasn't why this happened. King Garon wouldn't care about losing a few troops—if he thought the Wolfskin were a threat, he would have killed them all long before now: he obviously already knew where to find them. This was a targeted attack on us."

"But then, what if King Garon is anticipating you going back to the Ice Tribe? What if he's laying a trap this very moment?"

"It's a risk we have to take," Corrin decided, "I won't let this happen again." As he finished saying it, he looked over at Felicia, who was tending to a stubborn and irate Keaton. He looked at her and thought of all the time she'd been at his side, and he thought of Flora, too. No, he absolutely would not allow this level of tragedy to transpire again.

Azura looked out over the village, "Perhaps… I should sing a requiem."

Corrin frowned at her, "I appreciate the thought, Azura, but I don't know if Keaton will be likewise—"

"It's the least I can do," she interrupted, "And I have to do… something. I'll sing a requiem for them, and then a nocturne for you."

"A nocturne?"

"A piece that conveys the tranquility of night. Something to ease your spirits. You're clearly quite distressed by all this."

He scoffed, "You're not?"

"Of course I am," she replied, "but in my case, it's different. I don't pluck the strings of fate, I merely echo their vibrations."

Corrin stared back at her. She refused to return the eye contact and instead looked at the horizon meeting the ground past his head. "All right," he nodded, "Let's hear these songs, then. Can you sing them as we march?"

She nodded.


	13. A Line Drawn in Snow

The winds had begun to change back from temperate to icy cold, and Corrin felt his feet getting as heavy as his eyes, but he continued on, his thoughts still with Flora and the rest of the Ice Tribe. For most of the march, he had stared blankly forward, moving toward his goal with little additional thought to keep himself numb to the loss of the Wolfskin, but now he was forced to lift his head as he noticed some familiar surroundings encircling his group. "This is…" he murmured to himself.

"Lord Corrin," he heard Silas ride up from behind him, "sir, uh, with all due respect, I would really appreciate _not_ going through those woods again."

"Aww," Camilla cooed, her wyvern carrying her astride Silas's steed, "What's the matter, darling? Scared of a wittle bitty buncha twees?"

Silas scowled, "It's not the trees, a bunch of Faceless nearly killed us the last time we went in there!"

Corrin nodded, "It's true. That forest is bad news."

"Well, it is known as the Woods of the Forlorn," Camilla shrugged, "it doesn't exactly have a happy reputation. Among commoners, anyway—why, I remember a time a few of my friends got together around this tree that was rumored to eat people and—"

"Please!" Silas shuddered, "Whatever you're about to say, please just… don't."

Camilla giggled at him, "Ah, Silas, you can't be such a scaredy-cat if you're going to protect my sweet Corrin."

"I'm not scared!" he protested, "I just, uh, don't do well with… ghosts."

"The point remains," Corrin wrested back control of the conversation, "we're at an impasse here. On one hand, cutting through the Woods of the Forlorn is likely the fastest route to the Ice Tribe lands, but, on another, the woods have proven themselves very dangerous in the past—dangerous enough that I'd prefer to avoid them where possible."

"I say we go through," Camilla suggested, "You may have been in trouble before, but that's only because you didn't have me to protect you, darling."

"Lady Camilla makes a compelling point," Felicia agreed, "Even if the woods are pretty s-scary… There are more of us now, right? It'll be a lot easier to avoid getting ambushed and overwhelmed… right?"

Corrin turned and gazed deeply into Felicia's eyes. Seeing her reaction, he nodded and bowed his head in a small display of defeat, "I understand, Felicia. You're right, we can't afford to delay ourselves, even if it means we may need to fight. Let's get going."

The rest of the group assented and followed Corrin into the darkening woods as the foliage obscured even the faint traces of silvery moonlight that had lit up their path. The trees and the creeping vines that grew upon them were twisted and gnarled into ropelike shapes, and they were hardened brown. They stretched over and across one another, climbing and shoving their way through each other denizen of the forest and reaching out for whatever tiny remnants of sunlight they could collect.

Corrin was focused on the ground, but Azura caught his attention by walking beside him. She turned to him, "Is… is something wrong, Corrin?"

He smiled, "Isn't that my line?"

She blushed, "I don't mean to be distant, really. I like all of you, there are just some things… Anyway, I'm… trying to be a bit friendlier, I suppose."

Corrin nodded, "It's all right. I'm sure you have a good reason."

"I think I can guess what's on your mind," she suggested.

He cocked an eyebrow, "Oh?"

"You're thinking about your brothers, aren't you? You're worried about having to fight them," she guessed.

"The trees here remind me of Leo, I think because of that tome of his," Corrin replied, "And Xander… what to do about Xander…"

"It must be difficult, having to struggle against your own kingdom, as well as the Hoshidans," Azura supposed, "Do you ever regret siding with Nohr?"

"Not for a moment," he shook his head, "All I want is peace for everyone, and that fastest way to achieve that is to unseat King Garon and repel the Hoshidans."

"But surely you know that King Garon will slander you to diminish public support," she added, "He'll defame you over and over until you're vilified by every last Nohrian."

"I'm not interested in my reputation," he replied, "I don't care what happens to me, as long as this madness comes to an end. I don't have any designs to be king—I'll leave that to Xander. If the best thing for me to do after the war is to disappear, that's fine by me. Sometimes, I can't help but think… er, I think…"

"What?" Azura probed. Her eyebrows were creased with concern.

He sighed, "Sometimes I wonder if this violence could have been avoided if _I_ was killed in that explosion. Maybe then people would have just given up fighting and let all this go."

"What a stupid thought," Azura scoffed.

Corrin turned his head in shock, "Huh?"

"Lady Mikoto absorbed that attack because it was _meant_ for you, if you'll recall," she folded her arms, "Killing you was King Garon's original plan, I have no doubt in my mind about that. He probably intended to do so specifically because he knew only you were really capable of beating him—none of your brothers or sisters could accomplish that on their own."

"I don't—"

"Just listen," she hushed him, "I've been where you are right now: the anxiety, the survivor's guilt… Feeling like you shouldn't exist and loathing yourself isn't going to help the people who need you to be strong right now."

He pinched his chin, "Need me…"

"That's right," she nodded, "Everyone walking behind us right now is only doing so because they trust you to lead them, Corrin. They're scared, too, and you might not be sure about how the future will turn out, but that won't stop it from happening. Instead, you should try your best to be ready for anything, to let fate do with you as it will, and then pick up the pieces when it's over."

"That seems wrong," he answered, "I don't want to let fate decide. I want to make my own fate."

She stared back at him, "Fate rarely allows us such opportunities… Either way, I suggest you don't waste your time lamenting what might have been; it's a deep and black well with no prize to offer for reaching its bottom.

Corrin shook his head quickly, "I suppose you're right." He gazed around at the trees and took a deep breath, "Thanks, Azura. I needed that."

She faced forward again, "Of course." They kept walking in silence for a few minutes until Azura suddenly and quite shrilly shrieked.

Corrin sprang to attention, "What's the matter?"

She covered her mouth, her eyes wide. Her face began to grow red as she lowered her hand from her mouth, "S-Sorry… the ground here… it's cold on my bare feet."

Corrin laughed, "That's all right. I remember the sensation: it means we're getting close. Silas, would you let Azura ride with you toward the village?"

"Of course, milord," he rode up beside her and offered his hand.

Camilla smiled wryly and hastened her wyvern up to her brother's side, "I can't help but notice that you might be getting cold feet, too, darling. Er, in the literal sense, I mean. Would you care for a ride on my dear Sable?"

"Is that its name?" Corrin pointed at the wyvern.

"It?" Camilla repeated with a frown, "Sable is a beautiful and mature woman like myself. Do show some respect, my dear brother."

"Er, my apologies, Miss Sable," Corrin waved to the wyvern. Sable grunted at him and tossed its head toward its back.

"She forgives you," Camilla translated, "Now, come on, up here, sweet pea. Big sister will make sure you're nice and comfy." Nohr's eldest princess patted Sable's saddle in front of herself.

Corrin blushed, "Are you sure you want me to sit _there_?"

She smiled broadly, "Of course, right in my lap, like when you were little."

"But I'm, er… not so little anymore, you know?"

"Oh, believe me, I'm well aware."

"Maybe I should just sit behind you?"

"Heehee… if that's the way you'd like it."

"I don't like the way you're smiling at me."

"Oh, don't be difficult, dear? Won't you please sit with your big sister for a bit? It's been ages since I got to run my fingers through your hair…"

"Um, Azura," Corrin looked over at her, but saw she was already engaged in conversation with Silas. He looked around to the rest of the group and found them all ignoring him, "Anyone… help."

"Come now," Camilla seized him by the arm and yanked him up onto the wyvern's back, "don't break your big sister's heart." She sat up behind him and enveloped him as she took up Sable's reins again, "Let's have a nice ride together, hm? I'll hold you tight, like when you were a cute little infant."

Corrin couldn't tell if his face or Camilla's chest was exuding more heat.

Eventually, despite Corrin's discomfort, the group did manage to reach the Ice Tribe village, and to both Felicia and Corrin's supreme relief, it appeared untouched. They entered the grounds of the village unhindered when a guardsman recognized Corrin, but the village people still threw some curious glances at Camilla, Azura, and the rest of Corrin's retinue. Before long, they were brought into Chieftain Kilma's home at his request for a meeting.

The single-floor wood-walled manse hadn't changed much in the time Corrin had been away, although there was a tension to the atmosphere that hadn't presented itself before. Perhaps Corrin had been distracted by his plan to quiet the tribe's rebellion and failed to notice it back then, but the room he waited in with Felicia, Azura, Elise, and Camilla felt unmistakably odd.

He began to suspect that his inclinations were correct when both Chieftain Kilma and Flora sat down along with them wearing frowns.

"Here I thought I'd never see your face again, Prince Corrin," Chieftain Kilma shook his head, "You've caused us quite a bit of trouble, you know that, right?"

Corrin nodded, "I feared it might be the case. That's why I brought my allies with me and came here _toute suite_."

"We need an explanation, Corrin," Flora told him, "Odd things have been happening ever since you left us. There have been scouts patrolling near our borders, and my father, myself, and everyone in the village have been questioned at least twice about your whereabouts."

"In short, why is the Nohrian army looking for you, son?" Kilma concluded.

"They're looking for me because I defected. I refused to follow King Garon's orders and fled the court to rally a new army whose sole objective is to dethrone the king," Corrin answered, shutting his eyes.

Kilma glared at him, "You mean you did that _after_ you convinced me to support those Nohrian dastards? You picked a fine time, boy."

"I had my suspicions when we first met," the prince replied, "but I wasn't sure. I had to know King Garon's intentions for certain before I stood against him. Either way, make no mistake, if you hadn't submitted to Nohr, you'd all be dead by now."

Kilma scowled and stood, pointing at him, "You've got a lot of nerve, coming into my home and saying things like that."

"I have to be honest, chieftain," Corrin's face remained neutral, "It gives me no joy to say it, but it's the truth. I spared your lives back then."

The chieftain rolled his eyes, "Brilliant, so now you want our support because of your incomparable benevolence, is that it?"

"I understand that this is a difficult thing to ask," Corrin sighed, "but it may be the only hope your people have left. I respect the tactical savvy and magical power of the Ice Tribe, Chieftain Kilma, and I'd like very much to count it among my advantages."

"And what if we're through being beholden to Nohrian royalty?" Kilma growled.

Corrin opened his mouth to respond, but before the words could come out, a page interrupted them. "Chieftain Kilma!" he called, "A pair of Nohrians have announced themselves as members of King Garon's court. They ride for the village at this very moment!"

Kilma headed toward the door, "We'll see to this first, then we'll finish speaking, Prince Corrin." Flora followed behind him.

Corrin sprang up and exited the manse with all his accompaniment in tow. When he looked out over the vast, glittering fields of snow and ice, he was shocked at what he saw riding toward them: Leo and Iago both kicked up clouds of icy dust as they drew near the village.

Kilma looked over to Corrin, "What are you doing? Hide yourself, fool boy! If they know you're here, they'll kill us all!"

"No," Corrin shook his head, "I need to speak to my brother."

"Your brother?" Kilma started, "You don't mean…?"

He let the remark linger until Nohr's youngest prince and King Garon's right-hand man were before them, dismounting and walking toward the chieftain's manse.

"Well now…" Iago smirked upon seeing the prince, "Who do we have here? Could it be? If my eyes don't deceive me, I believe we're looking at The Coward Prince Corrin himself."

"And I spy a toady of King Garon," Corrin bit back.

Iago grinned, "Such venomous words! How charming. It matters not what you say to me, Coward Prince. I'm here only to negotiate with Chieftain Kilma… seeing as how I've got proof that he and his villagers told my men nothing but filthy lies."

"Leave the Ice Tribe alone," Corrin told him, "they have nothing to do with this. I'm the one you're after, so come after me, if you dare."

Iago shook his head and shrugged, "Don't be so arrogant, you self-aggrandizing little traitor. This is a discussion between the representatives of two sovereign nations. You're nothing more than a pawn that should have been captured and executed long ago."

Corrin looked at Leo, and noticed that his brother was avoiding eye contact, keeping his gaze pinned to the ground and his eyes half-closed. "Leo," he begged him, "What's going on here? Won't you tell Iago to leave the Ice Tribe out of this?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Iago hissed at him, "Lord Leo and I are here on the strict orders of His Highness. We were sent as a delegation to verify claims that the Ice Tribe had been colluding with the escaped Prince Corrin and, well… I'd say mission accomplished. King Garon has a suitable punishment in mind for harboring fugitives."

"What is King Garon's demand?" asked Kilma.

Iago grinned again, "I'm so glad you asked! Prince Leo, why don't you do the honors?"

Leo scowled at the Ice Tribe chieftain, "His Majesty King Garon orders that, in a show of penance for your transgressions against Nohr, you will publicly execute half of your male citizenry in our presence. The method of execution is left to your discretion."

Kilma stiffened and said nothing.

"And if they refuse?" Corrin balled his fist.

"Then, tomorrow," Iago chimed in, "We'll return with an army and slaughter every last one of them ourselves."

"Ourselves?" Corrin scoffed, "You mean you'll have the army do it. You'd turn paler than you already are if an arrow so much as grazed you, you vermin."

Iago grit his teeth, "Contemptible little wretch!" He took a deep breath and returned to a crooked smile, "Never mind. Hurl all the insults you want, Coward Prince. When you're choking on a headsman's axe, I'll be the one who gets the last laugh. Now then, Chieftain Kilma, may I hear your official response?"

"This is too great a sacrifice to ask," the chieftain sighed, his voice shuddering, "I… I cannot…"

"What?" Iago cupped his ear and leaned toward the chieftain, "Am I hearing you correctly? Are you disobeying King Garon's command?"

"I cannot," he repeated, shaking, "This… this is too much. I… please, there must be some other way… I cannot senselessly murder my own people…"

"I'm afraid King Garon's orders are absolute," Iago shook his head, "Now, let's hear it: will you accept the king's punishment or not?"

"Leo," Corrin interrupted. The prince turned his head, but still avoided looking his brother in the eyes. "I don't know why you won't stop this madness, but surely you realize this is wrong," Corrin said, "The Ice Tribe don't deserve this. They were serving King Garon faithfully while I was away… We saw each other not long ago, Leo… why won't you help us like you did then?"

"Oh-hoh!" Iago chortled, "Did I hear you say Lord Leo was in contact with you, too? That he was abetting a fugitive? Oh, I imagine King Garon will thrill to hear of such things. He'll most likely arrange a punishment for little Leo, too."

"As if you didn't already know that," Corrin spat.

"W-What?" Iago started, "What are you insinuating?"

"I thought about my encounter with the Faceless on my first trip to the Ice Tribe village as I traveled here today, and something occurred to me: unlike the other hordes of Faceless I've seen, those monsters targeted me directly. A typical Faceless that wasn't under a mage's thrall would strike indiscriminately, but those ones only attacked those who were in the path to me. To get that kind of tactic, a mage must have been nearby," Corrin explained.

Iago laughed, "Please, you think that constitutes proof of anything?"

"I don't need proof," Corrin shrugged, "but I know now that you've been watching me, Iago. Don't think I'm stupid."

"I grow _so_ dreadfully weary of this conversation," Iago sighed, "Chieftain Kilma, let's have your answer before I get too bored, hm?"

"We refuse," Kilma glared back.

"Wh-What?" Iago started, "D-Don't be a fool! Think of what you're saying!"

"I have," Kilma shook his head, "The men and women of my village are tired of kowtowing to the capricious whims of your King Garon. Send your army, we are not afraid: we will lay down our lives to protect our village and everyone within it." A few of the Ice Tribesmen present cheered in agreement with the chieftain's proclamation.

"I-Imbecile!" Iago grunted, "Don't you see you've signed your own death warrant?"

"What's the matter, Iago?" Corrin fixed his eyes on the sorcerer, "Are you afraid? Maybe you don't like it when your opponent bites back."

Iago growled, "I fear no man! If you worthless cretins wish to throw your lives away for this useless scrap of tundra, feel free—I'll be all too happy to arrange you a meeting in hell!"

"Then why not do it now?!" Corrin pointed at him.

"What?!" Iago stared back.

"Come on, Iago," Corrin bent his knees and elbows into a fighting stance as he placed his hand on the pommel of his Yato, "If it's so easy to destroy us, then show us that power now! It'd put me in my place, and it'd scare the daylights out of the Ice Tribe. Maybe then they'd reconsider."

Azura grabbed his arm, "What are you doing?!"

"Easy now," Camilla pulled her away, "my brother has the right idea." Nohr's eldest princess locked eyes with the sorcerer, "Go ahead, Iago. Flip that coin."

"Sister," Leo murmured, "you…"

"I-I," Iago stuttered, "I won't give into your silly provocations! Honestly, I extend the simple courtesy of parley, and this is the respect I receive?!"

"You'll have to forgive me," Corrin smirked, "I'm feeling a bit… rebellious lately."

"I never did like you, Iago," Elise popped up from behind her brother's shoulder, "The way you stalked around the court was _so_ creepy. Now I can see that's because you're just a creep, plain and simple! If my big brother's not afraid of you, then neither am I!"

"Elise," Leo's face twisted in pain, "then… all of you… have they really?"

"That's quite enough!" Iago shouted.

"Leo," Corrin shouted one last time, "I don't know why you're standing against me today, whether it's because they're holding something against you, or because of a sense of obligation to King Garon, but I'm telling you now, I won't be dissuaded: I stand firm in my convictions. All the same, I'd like to let you know that you have another option. You don't have to obey him, Leo. You have a choice, just like I did."

"Enough!" Iago shouted even louder, "Shut up, all of you, shut up! This conversation is over! Lord Leo, we need to return, now!"

"R-Right," the prince followed Iago as they returned to their steeds and took off.

Kilma folded his arms and looked over at Corrin, "Just so you know, I didn't do that for your sake."


	14. Nohrian Pride

Leo reentered the tent with a sigh and took off his gauntlets immediately. He took a seat at the desk that held up an open book. The half-blank page irritated him, so he picked up his quill and began to scribble something, and then crossed it out no more than a second after he'd finished writing it. He rested his cheek in his palm for a moment as he stared at the now dirtied page and spun the quill around on it, making a series of interconnecting circles. "It doesn't make any damn sense," he sighed to himself.

"Well now, cheery as always," remarked a voice from behind him.

Leo jolted up and spun around to find Niles standing in the corner of his tent, "Niles, what in…! How many times have I told you not to skulk around my tent?"

The thief shrugged, "I was actually ducking out of Old Man Iago's way. Really unpleasant, that fellow. I just happened to catch your little bout of melancholy and thought I'd chip in."

"There are times I can deal with your… strange habits of teasing, Niles, but today isn't one of them," said Leo, rubbing his forehead.

"It isn't my intention to distress you so, milord," he apologized, "Something's clearly the matter, though. Care to spin me a yarn? Come on—I've heard it all in my time."

"I don't quite know what to think anymore," the prince sat back and exhaled at the ceiling of the tent, "At first, I thought it was just my brother being impatient—impetuous, even—but when Iago and I went to the Ice Tribe camp…"

"Don't tell me you were surprised," Niles shrugged, "We already saw Prince Corrin and his merry band back at the harbor."

"But Camilla was there, too," he sighed, "And Elise, like before, and that blue-haired girl… what did Xander call her? Azura? I'm told she was a member of the Nohrian royal family long ago, too. I can't help but wonder, Niles… am I… that is, are we watching the death of the Nohrian royal family? Did the Hoshidans succeed in tearing us apart?"

"Hardly," Niles smirked, "they all seem to be quite comfortable with Lord Corrin."

Leo frowned, "Niles."

The thief looked at him more soberly, "Your brother still came to your aid when you were under attack, and he killed those Hoshidans without a second thought in order to keep you safe. He also fought their own little prince and ended up driving them away. If that's what it means to be driven apart, I'd hate to see what he'd do if you got back together."

"You may have a point," he nodded, "but I can't go along with him. That would mean forfeiting all of my education, everything that's built me up to be the proper prince of Nohr that I am. I can't leave the traditions of Nohr behind just because Father's leadership bothers me every so often, but, even so… I can't just kill my brother like a dog."

"A lot of people _do_ object to the killing of dogs," Niles agreed.

Leo sighed and let out a small laugh. Then he placed his head in his hands and stretched out over the desk, "It's quite a dilemma: sacrifice my loyalty or my honor."

"I'm merely your retainer, milord," Niles shrugged, "I can't tell you what to do, and I'll follow your orders without question. I will make one comment, though: Prince Corrin has proved he can make it on the streets of Nohr. Do you suppose Lord Iago would consider testing himself similarly?"

Leo paused, "It's going to be a long evening for me. See that I'm not interrupted."

"Milord," Niles bowed and stepped out of the tent.

[…]

Corrin watched the tea as it left the pot and landed in the white cup, throwing a long, thin pillar of steam into the icy air. He continued to stare at it until he heard the sound of his companion landing in the chair across from him. Flora had one arm resting neatly along her leg as the other lifted her own teacup to her lips. She sat the cup down, repositioned her arms, and looked back at him.

"I'm sorry," said the prince.

Her eyebrows raised, "For what?"

"Your imprisonment. If it weren't for me, you and Felicia would have gotten to stay here with your father and your sister."

"I thought I already explained this, but I couldn't have asked for a better master."

"You shouldn't have needed to. You don't deserve to have a 'master.'"

"I'm not troubled by it anymore, Lord Corrin."

"I am."

"Frankly, I'm more concerned with the Nohrian invasion that will be assailing our front door tomorrow morning."

"I'm sorry for that, too."

"Don't be. I think we all share my father's frustration with Nohr. With you, maybe not quite so much, but that's another matter."

"You don't always have to be so closed-off, Flora: I'm no longer your lord. If you're upset with something, you can tell me. Not that you couldn't do that before, either."

"I don't have anything else to say about it. The situation is as it is—we need to focus more on dealing with it, I think."

"I'm worried about having to fight Leo."

"Because he's your brother, or because of how strong he is?"

"Yes."

"Very funny. Well, I don't know what you want me to tell you… up until a few weeks ago, I was preparing to have to fight my sister, and all I could do was to convince myself that she was just another enemy combatant."

"But surely you didn't actually believe that."

"Of course not."

"So then, how could you prepare to fight her?"

"I was willing to do anything to defend my home. Some things require dedication above all else," she said after a pause.

Corrin noticed her glancing disappointedly at his tea, and so he lifted the cup to his lips and drank, sighing and watching his breath burst up to the ceiling. "Well," he resumed, "what will you do, then? Assuming we survive this encounter, that is. I don't think your father is awfully fond of me—if we part this time, it's most likely going to be permanent."

"I'll have to decide when that time comes," she said after another sip from her tea, "Although, I have to confess, I have been…"

Corrin waited for her to finish and arched his eyebrows, "What? What have you been?"

"Not in my right mind," she decided, averting her eyes, "I'm sorry, a lot of thoughts have been going through my head lately."

"I can imagine," Corrin replied with an appreciative smile.

"I do want to make one thing clear, though," she raised her index finger, "No matter what happens out there, Lord Corrin, I feel like you've always been… not my master, but, uh… my…"

"Friend?" he went on smiling back at her.

"Yes, that's it," she agreed, staring into her tea as she prepared to take another drink.

"I'm glad you think so, Flora," he nodded, "I feel the same. There's another reason I wanted to speak to you, however."

"And that is?"

"Strategy. I won't have the Ice Tribe be killed because of me, so I have a plan."

"I'm listening."

"It's important that your father understands this, too, because the plan is something I know he isn't going to like: I want to plan a strategic retreat."

"You mean… leave the tribe lands?"

"Just for the time being. I can't promise a swift return, but there's no way we'll survive by fighting the Nohrian army _and_ remaining in the village. It's too small: we'd be overrun in a heartbeat."

"So… what do you propose we do?"

"Elise and I, as well as a few of our friends, we managed to make a living in the slums under Windmire. I know it doesn't sound pleasant, but it's really our best option."

"Do you think so?"

"I know so. There the Ice Tribe will be safe and hidden until that day when they can finally re-emerge from the shadows, just like me."

Flora rubbed her temple, "You're right: father isn't going to like this at all."

[…]

"Chieftain Kilma! The Nohrian army approaches!"

Corrin turned his head and looked up to the tower where the Ice Tribesmen stood, shouting and waving his hand to catch the attention of his compatriots.

"Then it's time," Chieftain Kilma muttered, his eyes shut and his arms folded, "Is everyone ready?"

The four rows and thirteen columns of mages behind him answered in the affirmative with loud shouts.

"Don't falter, brothers and sisters," he told them without looking back, "this is the real Nohrian army we're dealing with. Your first mistake will be your last."

Corrin looked over his shoulder at Flora, who was shuddering, "Do we have an answer?"

She regained her composure and nodded at him, "Father has agreed, but he said he's going to hold you accountable for any and all injuries incurred to the civilians."

"That figures," Corrin sighed, "Where are they now?"

"In hiding, like you suggested," she answered, "We'll get them moving as soon as things start to heat up."

He looked down at the ground and exhaled again, "All right. Thank you, Flora. I always could count on you. I suppose there's no delaying this any further…"

He proceeded to the village's gate along with Kilma. Flora, Azura, Felicia, Camilla, and Elise were all close behind the leaders as they stood parallel to one another, listening to the muffled trots of two horses drawing near. Leo sat on one, staring his brother straight in the eyes. Iago was mounted upon the other, and he grinned madly at Kilma, and then at the Ice Tribe forces assembled behind him. "Chieftain Kilma," Iago bared his teeth, "I'm glad to see your weary soul didn't keel over after yesterday's excitement. I've come to offer you one last chance to avoid the destruction of the Ice Tribe: submit yourself utterly unto my commands, and I may yet allow you to live."

Kilma squinted at him, then glanced over at Corrin, as well as his Yato, and finished by glaring at the sorcerer again, "I'd rather die along with my kin than ever be made to serve you."

He frowned, "As you wish. Prince Leo, would you be so kind as to read the criminals their judgment?"

Leo pulled a green book out from one of his horse's several saddlebags and flipped open to a page slightly before the middle. He read aloud, "Nohrian law is blunt on the subject of traitors. Conspiracy to undermine the throne… conspiracy to disrupt the allegiances of Nohr… harassment of Nohrian citizens and/or the citizens of Nohr's protectorates by means ranging from verbal intimidation to physical assault… collusion with forces working to degrade Nohr… And, above all, making attempts on the life of the Nohrian royal family. For all this, there can surely be only one punishment."

Corrin stared back at his brother, feeling every nerve in his body twitch simultaneously as they exchanged glares. Leo's expression was cold, but his eyes were fierce: even if he didn't show it, Corrin was convinced his brother was feeling exactly the same way.

"Iago, by the authority vested in me by the Kingdom of Nohr, I sentence you to death."

Iago grinned, then paused and blinked a few times, looking back and forth between Leo and Corrin. "Wha… What?"

To accentuate his point, Leo urged his horse to plod forward and spin around so that he, too, was alongside his brother and Chieftain Kilma, facing Iago. "Iago," he pointed to him, raising Brynhildr, "the charges my brother levied against you yesterday did not go unnoticed… I had some grave misgivings about you, but I was willing to trust you for my father's sake. Well, no more: you've demeaned the glory of Nohr by attacking its allies and its royal family, and as a prince of Nohr, I will not allow it."

"You imbecile!" Iago growled, "are you truly so naïve? Do you honestly think following your traitor of a brother is the way to respect the legacy of your kingdom?!"

"More so than dealing with you, so far as I've seen," he shrugged, "You disgust me."

"Leo," Corrin sighed, smiling at him, "Thank you… I really can't thank you enough."

"I trust you, brother," he nodded, "Prove that my trust isn't misplaced."

"I will," Corrin nodded. As soon as he had finished saying it, he and Leo both became aware that their weapons were exuding a strange blue glow. Corrin held the Yato aloft and watched it shine until a tremendous, gold, blinding light shot from it and it faded into a shadow. When he lowered his arm, he could see it again: the blade seemed to him immediately different, as if he had never wielded it before: the cross-guard of the blade had bloomed open, revealing a pattern not unlike a rose. At the base of the blade, enveloped by the new guard, was a shimmering amethyst orb. Corrin had noticed the four notches on the blade before, but only now had he begun to understand their significance: _This is what the Rainbow Sage was talking about_ , he thought. Then his thought was replaced by an unfamiliar voice that spoke two words in his mind, and he heard those words with incredible clarity.

"Corrin," Leo stared, "your blade… what's happened to it?"

"Perhaps I forgot to tell you all," he chuckled, "this is no ordinary blade… this sword is the Divine Blade Yato… or, rather, it was. With the power of your Brynhildr, Leo, this sword has grown in power and surpassed its previous limits… It's become a new blade entirely: the Grim Yato."

"Grim Yato?" Leo repeated. He folded his arms and smirked, "How appropriate. Sometimes, it's the right decision is the most difficult one to make… one that must be faced with a grim and stony mien. That's something I realized today… and perhaps you realized it not long ago."

"I've had enough of this!" Iago shouted, "'Divine Blade' nothing! I'll kill you both like the scoundrel traitors that you are and I'll be commended for it! Nohrian army, attack!"

Leo brandished his arm before them, "If you serve the Nohrian royal family, you won't move another damned step!"

The soldiers looked between one another, and their murmurs slowly began to trickle over to the gathering of leaders. Iago barked at them, "Idiots! I am your _commander_ , and I _order you_ to attack! You dare disobey me?!"

"I'm a prince of Nohr, and I order you to kill anyone who tries to lay a hand on me or my compatriots, am I understood?" Leo directed in kind.

Gradually, the assembled Nohrian army began to shift apart, some drawing closer to Leo and the others hanging back.

"C-Cowards!" Iago raved, "I'm giving you one last chance—attack these barbarians now!"

Uneasily, half of the Nohrian army charged at Leo, Corrin, and the Ice Tribe. The other half moved into position to halt them, and there arose a great clatter of blades striking shields, other blades, and human flesh.

"And as for you," Leo raised Brynhildr once more, facing Iago, "I've heard more than my fill of that screech you call a voice." He concentrated and felt the power flow through his arm into the tome, and, in a moment, a tangle of wicked branches spiked out of the ground and attempted to ensnare the sorcerer. They failed in the attempt, however, as they slipped right through his body intangibly.

Iago scoffed, "You don't really think I'd risk being killed by standing along someone so volatile as you, do you, prince? I thought you might join your traitor of a brother, so I took a safer option and projected an illusion of myself to accompany you. I'm waiting back at the camp as of now. And now that my suspicions are confirmed, I'll get His Highness and Prince Xander to kill you all! Oh, won't that be delicious?"

"Leo?" Corrin cocked an eyebrow, "I don't mean to rush things, but I planned to evacuate the Ice Tribe. I'd recommend we get moving immediately."

"Thinking with your head for once?" he smiled back, "I'll be damned, Corrin. Maybe you're a better prince than I gave you credit for."

"I still seem to have retained the devil's luck, though," his brother chuckled.

"Excuse me!" Iago shouted, "Did you hear me?! I'll have you both killed!"

"You're not worth my time," Corrin shrugged, "You don't even have the courage to stand on a battlefield alongside your men. And besides, even if it's not today… one day soon, you're going to die, Iago."

"Y-You…" he shuddered, "You dare threaten me?"

"Chieftain Kilma!" Corrin called, "let's move now, while the enemy are distracted! Get the civilians moving—we'll use your troops and mine as a shield while we funnel them out!"

"Understood," he grunted, "Flora! Felicia! Get everyone moving! Shiva, ready up—serpent position!"

"Corrin," Leo addressed his brother, "could I ask a favor?"

"What is it?"

"My retainers are still among that group. I'm sure they'll prove loyal to us if we can extract them—and I'd very much rather they didn't die. I've grown to like those two."

"Of course," he nodded. Corrin ran over to Silas and got the knight's attention, "I'm going to divert from our route for a moment with my brother. Don't concern yourselves with me, just get the villagers to the sanctuary, all right? That's an order."

"Understood," he saluted, "Please be safe, Lord Corrin."

The prince had already taken off and rejoined his brother, and the two charged into the pile of Nohrian soldiers clashing back and forth. Among them, a blond mage and white-haired thief stuck out. Spotting them, Leo pointed them out and threw away some of the surrounding soldiers with a burst of flame. Corrin ran toward the opening, and as one Nohrian swung his axe down at the thief, Corrin intercepted the blow and, with an ease that surprised even the prince himself, flung the opponent's axe away and cut across his chest. Corrin seized the thief's hand and dragged him out of the fray. "I'm Prince Corrin," he said curtly, "Prince Leo has decided to abandon Iago and join my ranks—he tells me you're one of his retainers."

The man wiped some blood from his cheek, just below a black eyepatch with a x-shaped embellishment, "That's right. Much obliged, Lord Corrin. I'm called Niles, and I'm known for having… sticky fingers."

"Begone, fiends!" they heard a cry from within the clashing of troops.

"That'd be my partner, Odin," Niles sighed.

Corrin nodded. "Retreat with the others," he ordered, gesturing over toward the lines of escaping villagers, "I'll get him."

"Don't have to tell me twice," the thief agreed and took off, "especially looking like that."

Corrin ran toward the blond and, as before, a sudden undergrowth of vines and roots swatted nearby soldiers away from him. He took the opportunity to shout, "Rapturous Afterburner!" before casting a pillar of fire himself. He, too, was quickly pulled out of the way by Corrin.

"Are you Odin?" the prince demanded.

"Aye, but who are you that removes me from the electricity of battle?"

"I'm Prince Corrin, Leo's older brother. He's decided to follow me in my rebellion against the crown."

"A rebellion? You mean clandestine meetings and supporting the common man from the underground? Secret missions and powerful, aristocratic foes?"

"I… imagine there'll be some of that, yes."

"Oh, man, that's _so_ exciting! I mean, er, wondrous! I had grown weary of enforcing the status quo! Odin Dark rides for the common man once more!"

"Right now I need you to ride for the way out of here, with the Ice Tribe villagers."

"But what about the tremulous exultations of battle?"

"We've got that covered," Corrin answered, slicing down a cavalier who had broken rank to charge them with a lance.

"Aw, man," Odin frowned and jogged away. Corrin worked his way back through the crowd, cutting down several more soldiers to clear a path back to his brother, who awaited him just on the edge of the fighting.

"So," Leo breathed raggedly, "what's the plan from here?"

Corrin looked over at the retreating villagers and cursed, seeing that they were still quite close to the battle: if the soldiers loyal to Iago succeeded, his group wouldn't be able to stop the villagers from being attacked. He bowed his head and sighed, then looked back up to his brother, "We can't just abandon these soldiers who've remained loyal to you, can we?"

"That's what I hoped you'd say," Leo smiled, "what about the others?"

"Let them keep retreating," Corrin decided, "I think it's time those who defied you learned of the terrifying power of a Nohrian prince."

Leo smirked, "Brother, I am liking you and my decision more with each passing moment."

With a cry, Leo flung open his tome again and sent more soldiers scattering to the ground with a burst from Brynhildr, and Corrin cut his way through their ranks with the renewed power of the Grim Yato.


	15. Reunion in Shadow

The prince's breathing was ragged as he stumbled into the square and slowly collapsed to the ground, heaving and muttering incoherently. Leo wasn't far behind him, and stood by his side, bending over and supporting himself by placing his hands on his knees while he panted, too.

The people in the square stopped to take a glance at their visitors, and several of them gasped audibly when they recognized one of the suddenly-appeared guests to be Prince Leo. They stared on, wide-eyed, wondering if they had been discovered, and whether or not their lives were minutes shy of coming to an end. Amid the crowd, Azura and Silas shot forward first, followed shortly by Camilla and Elise. Kaze watched from behind a nearby corner, equally fearful of discovery.

"Milord!" Silas shouted, offering a hand to the collapsed prince, "Are you all right? What happened?"

"We sent a message," he replied between great intakes of breath, "The citizens of Nohr… won't be trod upon so easily."

"Leo!" Elise was jumping all around her brother, "They didn't hurt you, did they? Oh, Iago is gonna pay big time for this!"

"It's all right," he told her, placing his hand on her head and rubbing her hair, "I'm okay. We won, sister."

"We're safe for the moment, at any rate," Corrin agreed, "and we've proven to King Garon that we won't be cast aside or made to submit. We're a force to be reckoned with." He beamed a smile.

"Right now you're a bloody, sweaty mess," Azura noted with a pang of distaste.

"I've got some wet towels!" Felicia chimed from behind them, running forward. She slipped on a misplaced stone and the towels flew skyward, landing like fallen dominoes in a stack extending from her head.

Flora sighed and called out, "Jakob and I are bringing vulneraries."

His breathing now relaxing a bit, Corrin composed himself and stood up, looking at Azura, Leo, Camilla, and Elise all in turn. After a pause, he laughed loudly and embraced them all one by one. Camilla and Elise both accepted their hugs with little more than curious glances, but Leo stepped back a bit and Azura frowned when she noticed a red stain had imprinted itself on her white dress. As Flora and Jakob drew near, they became concerned about the laughter. "Is something wrong, milord?" Jakob asked.

"Do you have a fever?" Flora pressed the back of her hand to his head, "Maybe you're delirious?"

"I'm as lucid as I've ever been," he grinned, "And I have to thank you all so much… Finally… finally, we're almost a family again."

"What are you on about now?" Leo folded his arms.

"There was a time, after I left…" he heaved, "I thought I might have to go against you all… I tried to harden my heart, to think of you as accessories to King Garon's machinations that needed to be stopped, but… I don't think I ever really had the heart for it. If I had to face any of you, I probably would have given up, but… You're all here with me now, save Xander. You're all my family, just like I prayed you would be."

Camilla scoffed, "Was that matter ever in doubt, my darling?"

"I…" he stared at Camilla and fell to his knees once more, wrapping himself around her legs. "I'm sorry… I never should have…" He lost his ability to speak and simply muttered. Tears formed around his eyes.

"Maybe you haven't changed so much," Leo scratched the back of his head, "You're still a softhearted baby, deep down. Though, I suppose I can let it pass this once."

"Azura, you okay?" Elise piped up. She noticed the blue-haired woman tucking her head into her shoulder.

"Huh?" she started, "Oh, yes… Everything's fine. I'm happy for Corrin, of course. I shared some of his reservations about fighting family, I suppose. I was moved by his giving voice to them."

Corrin stood up and wiped his eyes, facing Azura, "And I have to thank you, too. Even before the rest of my family was ready to join me, you abandoned your peaceful life in Hoshido to be with me."

She blushed, "Er, when you put it that way… Ahem. I don't think my life in Hoshido was going to be all that peaceful, but I don't regret my decision to come with you."

"Regardless, you have my thanks," he nodded, "I know that decision was a hard one."

"Such are the majority of the decisions we've made to arrive at this point," Leo concurred, "Such is life. We must keep moving forward, however. Time waits for no man, as they say."

"Leo's right," Corrin agreed, "but, first…" He turned to face the onlookers who were frozen in their tracks through the slums of Nohr. "People of Nohr!" he called, "Some of you may recognize my face… I hid from you once, like many of Nohr's nobility, but no longer. I am Prince Corrin, and I, along with my brother and sisters, may be counted among you. We seek an end to the despotic reign of King Garon, and we will not rest until Nohr is released from its shackles."

Azura tugged on his arm, "I understand the catharsis it may provide, but loudly announcing yourself like that may not be the best strategic move right now, Corrin."

"On the contrary," Camilla smiled, "I like it. I think my poor brother has spent enough time crouching in the shadows. It's time for him to emerge from the dusk and illuminate the long night of Nohr."

"Both approaches have their advantages," Leo judged, "but, in either case, may I request that we all take a little rest, given what we've just been through?"

"Seconded!" Elise waved her hand.

"Thirded!" Felicia agreed, carrying her pile of towels with a red mark on her face.

[…]

A jet of blood shot into the air as the Hoshidan soldier fell off of Siegfried. "Press the attack!" Xander shouted, pointing his blade into the air and rearing his horse to get his troops' attention. They shouted in acceptance of his order and began to surge forward, hitting the slow Hoshidan lines hard.

"We're certainly making quick work of them," Laslow noted, throwing an enemy to the ground as he ran up beside his lord, "But do you think it's wise to bear down on them like this? What if they're trying to spring some kind of trap?"

"They aren't," Xander answered, "They've waited too long. If they were going to surprise us, they should have done it about twenty minutes ago. Any advantage they could gain has been squandered by their poor positioning."

"Still, Lord Xander," his retainer sighed, "If you'll forgive my saying so, it's not like you to be so… what's the word? Forceful? Immediate?"

"Determined," he replied, "I made a mistake in my last engagement because of my own hesitation. I won't repeat that failure. Especially not when the High Prince of Hoshido decides to lead a direct attack on our lands."

Laslow nodded, "Just don't go throwing caution to the wind, now."

"Never," he agreed. With that, he spurred his horse onward and skewered an archer and an onmyoji as they made their way forward, clashing against the Nohrian line. The skies overhead were dark, even for Nohr. Black clouds had settled in, and thunder rolled between them, shaking the battlefield twice as much thanks to the equally thunderous voices of the soldiers engaging one another.

The fighting continued with neither side losing or gaining much ground until a deafening crack of thunder disoriented the Hoshidan forces, who were shoved back. Many fell to the ground in surprise and were stabbed before they could reclaim their footing while the Nohrian army advanced. Row on row of black-armored ranks cut down the samurai and ninja who approached them and trampled their corpses into the dry plain as they marched forward.

With his superior martial skill, Xander was the first to break through the Hoshidan line once it had been worn too thin. As he did so, several snipers fired arrows at him, but his steed and reflexes proved too quick for this form of attack, and he charged the enemy's rear position, knocking down some of the snipers who'd fired at him, as well as some supplemental troops left to guard the rear. As he progressed, however, he was met with something that surprised him considerably.

"Crown Prince Xander of Nohr. I didn't think I'd get the chance to see you again," said the redheaded elder princess of Hoshido, Hinoka, floating just above the ground on her pegasus.

"You?" Xander scowled, "I was told that the leader of this army was…"

"My brother?" she smirked, "I know. That's what we wanted your scouts to think. Unfortunately for you, Ryoma is nowhere near here. He and the bulk of our army have already infiltrated the deepest parts of Nohr to sow the seeds of its destruction."

"So, this isn't your full force?" Xander said, mostly to himself, "That would explain why you were so easy to overcome."

Hinoka went on, "No matter how quickly you move, you'll never be able to stop Ryoma's plan now. Hoshido has already won."

"Such arrogance comes naturally from a culture of conceit," Xander shook his head, "I will thwart your brother, Princess Hinoka. But I'll spare you the agony of watching him fail."

"Big words," she grunted. Hinoka spurred her pegasus into the air and, like a strike of the lightning that waited overhead, she spiked downward at Xander, who just barely brought Siegfried up in time to throw off her lance. He tried to swing at her, but she doubled back and tried to run him through once more, this time at an entirely horizontal angle. Unable to shift in time, Xander abandoned his horse and flung himself to the ground, grimacing when he heard the poor animal's flesh ripped as Hinoka's pegasus tore past it. The winged beast took her up into the air once more, and she attempted to dive at the crown prince again. He rolled out of the way and watched her embed her lance in the ground.

"You're nothing if not persistent!" the prince shouted at her.

She circled around, withdrew another lance from the saddle of her pegasus, and lined herself up parallel to Xander. "And you're not as tough as you look!" she shouted in reply. As before, she spurred the pegasus forward, and it charged straight at Xander, Hinoka's lance making a beeline for the prince's eyes. He dug his heels in and waited for the attack to come in close. As the tip of the lance grew larger in his view, he lifted Siegfried from underneath and smashed the lance so that the tip flew off over his shoulder and flopped ineffectually to the ground a foot behind him.

"This is that arrogance I was talking about," Xander sighed, "If you took the time to observe your opponent, you might not try the same attack patterns over and over."

She grimaced and reached for another lance from her mount's saddle, but she suddenly felt herself being flung from its back. She looked down and saw the pegasus kick its legs into the air and slump to the ground.

"And you'd know," she heard his voice take on an even graver tone, "You should never underestimate the amount of tricks your opponent has up his sleeve."

Hinoka tried to recover, but her vision went black when she heard a crack, followed by a jolting sensation along her spine and through her shoulders. She heard herself grunt loudly as sod and grass flew into her hair and stained her back.

Her eyes fluttered open as she saw the grim countenance of the blond Nohrian prince stepping slowly toward her. In a minute, she could see his full stature looming over her, sword pointed at her throat. "I don't blame you," he told her, "Your life of plenty has kept you from facing the harsh but important realities of this world."

"I don't care if you kill me," she coughed, "You've already wasted too much time fighting me. Nothing that happens now is going to stop Ryoma's plan."

Xander shut his eyes, "I agree." Hinoka opened her mouth to speak again, but her breath caught in her throat and her eyes bulged wide when Siegfried cut through her throat. Xander scowled, "What a waste."

[…]

Not sure that she could see him, Corrin knocked gently on the counter of the merchant's stall and waited for her to turn around. The redheaded woman never did. "You made quite a stir out there," she said, polishing something with her back to the prince.

"Things have changed significantly since I was last here," he said.

She placed the object she was holding on a lower shelf, aimed away from the prince, and then spun around to face him. "I gathered as much," she smirked at him, "So, what brings you back to my humble neck o' the woods?"

"I spoke to the Rainbow Sage after I left, following your tip," the prince began.

"Ah!" she wagged her finger at him, "Now, didn't I tell you my info was top-notch."

He smiled, "Indeed you did, and I'll never doubt it again. The Rainbow Sage helped me gain new power, but he also shared some information with me that I think will be of value to you. I thought it only fair to mention it."

"Yeah?" she cocked an eyebrow at him and leaned over the counter, eyes beseeching him to continue.

"He told me that I would meet a girl with ruby-red hair in a purple coat when I discovered the truth," Corrin recalled, "I'm not really sure what to make of that."

Anna's eyes widened for a moment, and then she nodded, staring at the floor. "Well, that sure describes my girl, all right," said the merchant.

"Your 'girl?'" Corrin repeated, "I'm sorry… was this…?"

Anna cleared her throat, "I didn't mention it before because it wasn't important… That and I wanted to be sure I could trust you. The girl I asked you to seek out… she's my daughter. Though I couldn't tell you any better where she is having heard that tidbit."

"Oh," Corrin frowned, "I'm sorry, I wish I could be more helpful."

"It's all right," she dismissed the remark, "Still have that coin I gave you?"

Eyes flashing with recollection, Corrin dug into his pocket and retrieved the embossed coin and held it up before Anna's face.

"Good," she smiled, "Now, I'm not much for prophecy, but from what I could parse, it sounds like you'll be meeting my little girl somewhere along your path, anyway. In that case, why don't you hold onto that coin and show it to her like I asked when you do find her?"

"I have what I think is a pertinent question," Corrin replied, "Why don't you tell me her name?"

"Oh!" Anna blinked, "I guess that would help, wouldn't it? It's a pretty common name, so I didn't even… Ahem, uh, her name is Morgan. So, to recap, if you find a red-haired girl in a purple coat named Morgan, show her that coin. I don't think there are too many other people in the world who share those characteristics, so the odds of her recognizing it are good. Will you do that for me?"

"Of course," Corrin nodded, putting the coin away, "I owe you a great deal, so I'm happy to repay the favor."

Anna grinned, "I do love payment! Now, if there's nothing else, you should run along, princey. I bet you've got lotsa work to do."

"Don't you want to come with me?" Corrin supposed, "Wouldn't that make finding your daughter easier?"

Anna sighed and looked back at the object she had been polishing. She lowered both her face and her voice to the prince's ear clandestinely, "I've got a secret that you can't tell anyone else here, all right?"

Corrin nodded.

"I know I may look all young and pretty and spry, but I'm actually a… little older than I appear. Got some magical makeup to help me doll myself up."

"What does that have to do with coming along with us on our journey?"

"I went on one journey, kid, and I'm still pretty worn out from it, even after all these years. I'm not much good for fighting, or traveling… or walking."

"It's that bad?"

"You think I wouldn't be out there looking for my little girl right now if it weren't?"

"I'm sorry… I didn't realize."

"You don't have to be sorry, just find her for me. Please."

"I will," he swore, looking into the woman's reddish-brown eyes, which, he now noticed, seemed to be drooping ever so slightly. "Thank you, Anna," he said before taking his leave. She waved him off.

Corrin didn't get very far before he was interrupted by a sharp call of "Brother!"

He lifted his head to spy Leo walking toward him with a few black-clad soldiers walking beside him. "Leo," Corrin greeted him, "What's going on? Who are these folks?"

Leo gestured to one of them, giving him the chance to speak. Corrin hadn't paid much attention to the group around Leo a moment ago, but he realized now that the man before him was tremendous and imposing, with vast, onyx-black plates lining his shoulders and torso. His face was ash-colored and scarred, but his eyes were blue and pure and a tuft of wheat-gold hair ran along his head. Despite his appearance, his voice was soft and calm, if a little gravelly: "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Prince Corrin. My name is Benoit, although everyone I know just calls me 'Benny.'"

"The pleasure's mutual," Corrin shook the man's massive hand, "What can I do for you, Benny?"

"Well," he rubbed the back of his neck, "I've been here a few days waiting for you to return, along with the rest of my friends. We heard about all you've been doing, fighting King Garon and everything and, well… that gave me and my friends the courage to desert Nohr's army."

"Because of me?" Corrin blinked, "I'm flattered, but… what do you want of me, then?"

Benny's head sunk, "See, we were thinkin'… you know, if you got room for us… Maybe… you wouldn't mind a couple extra soldiers joining your cause?"

Leo cleared his throat, "By the way, brother, the correct answer here is 'yes, please.'"

Corrin looked over the hulking man's shoulders and saw a line of even more soldiers, all wearing their armor and looking into the prince's eyes, poking their heads out spuriously. "All of you deserted? Because of me?" he murmured.

Benny's jaw contorted into a slack sort of grin, "Yup! None of us really wanted to be soldiers, but King Garon's mandated service policies forced us all into the army in one way or another. We're free of that now, though, and we're ready to fight for our homes."

Leo stared at his brother with an expectant frown.

Corrin took a deep breath and met eyes with the huge man once more, "That's very kind of you to offer, but it's not what I want. You just said none of you wanted to be soldiers—how could I possibly ask you to step back into battle for my personal benefit.

"Oh, no," Benny shook his head, "It's not just for you we want to fight. I mean, you're the one who gave us hope, but…"

"Lord Corrin, if I may?" Corrin saw Silas appearing from within the ranks of the Nohrian deserters, "I think I understand. These soldiers were all victimized by King Garon in some way, so even if they didn't want to be in the military, they'll be much happier fighting for someone and something they believe in than abiding the king's orders or being hunted down for their desertion."

"You speak as though from personal experience, Silas," Corrin noted.

"It's like Lord Leo said," Silas smirked back at him, "we've all had to make some tough decisions to get to where we are now."

"Then… I accept your gracious offer," Corrin said, turning back to Benny, "But please know that I value your lives above all else. If you're in danger, don't worry about me, simply flee, am I clear?"

Benny stiffened in a salute, "It's an honor to enter into your service, Prince Corrin."


	16. Day and Night

"Big brother!"

Corrin sat up with a start. He stared forward for several seconds without seeing anything as his eyes adjusted to the light, and only after he began to see did his situation dawn on him. He flung the blanket off his bed and hopped up to follow his little sister's voice, but, as it turned out, he didn't need to go far.

As soon as he opened the door, she took a step through the threshold, nearly bumping into him. "Oh!" she gasped, "I thought you didn't hear me. Well, c'mon out: Jakob made breakfast."

Corrin rubbed the sleep from his eyes and murmured his agreement. Elise seized his hand and led him out to the table, which had been replaced with a substantially larger piece of furniture than the one he recognized. Leo, Camilla, Azura, Silas, Kaze, Felicia, and Jakob were all gathered around different sides of the table. Camilla toyed with and straightened Leo's collar, earning her an annoyed glare from the prince every so often, although he never stopped her. He was busy staring down Azura, who looked blankly at her plate, humming and pinching locks of her own long hair as if discovering it for the first time. Silas was chatting loudly about his days as a knight to Felicia, who was reacting with wide eyes and a wide mouth—she seemed so shocked that her mouth never closed, in fact. Kaze and Jakob both had their arms folded and eyes narrowed on one another.

"Sit here, with me," Elise requested, hopping into a chair and patting the seat beside her.

"Ah," Jakob quit his staring contest with Kaze when he spotted Corrin in his periphery, "Milord, please, make yourself comfortable. I was just about to serve breakfast."

Felicia got up and began setting plates down while Jakob came over and placed one before Corrin, "Steak and eggs for milord. That's still your favorite, isn't it?"

Corrin cleared his throat and nodded, "It is, thank you, Jakob."

He smiled broadly, "Not at all, milord."

Kaze scanned his plate, as well as Corrin's, and that of everyone else at the table, "Just eggs… and beef?"

"Do you have a problem with my cooking?" Jakob glared at him.

"No… it's just that," he paused, scratching his head, "The eggs… I don't know how you cooked them and… there's no rice or natto…"

"Natto?" Jakob cocked an eyebrow.

"Soybeans," Azura helped him along, "Rice and soybeans are so plentiful in Hoshido, they're served with nearly every dish, breakfast included."

"Yes, well," Jakob looked away, indignant, "I must concede I'm ignorant to the ways of Hoshidan cuisine, but eggs and finely cooked steak will curb any hardworking Nohrian's appetite. You'll just have to get used to it."

Kaze sighed, "But how am I meant to eat it? With my bare hands?"

"With your knife and fork, right there," Corrin chuckled, pointing the utensils out. Kaze picked them up and stared back and forth between them with bewilderment. Corrin laughed again and demonstrated, cutting himself a piece of steak and a piece of egg and skewering them both on his fork before eating them. Kaze did his best to replicate the motions.

"Did you sleep well?" Elise asked, tugging at her brother's shoulder.

"Oh yes," he answered, "quite well. The best I've slept in days, if not weeks, honestly. I guess the bed makes a difference. How about you?"

"I always sleep great," she shrugged.

"Once you _go_ to sleep," Leo added.

"I can't help it if I have too much energy to go to bed an hour after sundown, grandpa," she said, afterwards sticking her tongue out at her brother.

"You weren't too cold, dear?" Camilla asked, pursing her lips at Corrin, "I told Jakob to give you an extra blanket, but—"

"I was fine," he cut her off, "You're looking pretty well rested, too, Camilla. I see you had a chance to fix up your hair."

"Well," she withdrew, her cheeks reddening, "I suppose it _is_ a bit easier to maintain my looks without any armies breathing down my neck."

"Did you finish reading that book I leant you?" Leo drew his brother's attention, "I finished yours."

"I haven't really had enough time," Corrin rubbed the back of his neck, "sorry."

Leo scoffed, "Typical. You're so undisciplined."

"How did you like _Inspecteur le Gentilhomme_?" Corrin asked.

Leo scowled, "It was childish rubbish."

"Is that why I found you scrounging for candlelight to read it after everyone else was asleep last night?" Camilla smirked.

"Camilla!" he whined, "Anyway… you should hurry up and finish _The Merchant of Nestra_. It's a classic piece of literature, and it contains sociopolitical themes that are relevant to this very day."

"All right," he agreed, "I'll get to it as soon as I have the chance."

"Ooh, ooh, Camilla," Elise shouted, "some of the ribbons in my hair are starting to come loose. Think you can fix 'em?"

"I'd be delighted," the purple-haired princess smiled.

At once, Azura sat her silverware down on her plate and took the plate to the counter. She left it there and began walking back into her room in the small domicile.

Camilla and Leo had begun chatting back and forth, Kaze was receiving help eating his meal from Silas, and Felicia and Jakob were getting ready to begin clearing the dishes from the table. Elise nudged her brother, "Azura seems upset. Maybe she feels left out. Wanna go talk to her?"

Corrin nodded, "That's very thoughtful of you, Elise. Yes, let's do that."

"You and Azura sure end up talking to each other a lot," Elise commented, walking down the short hall with her brother.

"I suppose so," he concurred, "Azura's quite distant—she's not very comfortable talking about her feelings with other people, but she seems to have an easier time with me, so I try to help her."

"Aw," Elise cooed, "that's exactly the kind of thing that I hoped you'd say about my inevitable sister-in-law."

Corrin paused, "Er, what?"

"Nothing," Elise sang. She approached Azura's door, which was shut, and knocked on it, "Oh Azura… can we come in?"

"Who's 'we?'" she replied.

"I'm here, too," Corrin answered.

There were a few fumbling sounds as the blue-haired woman rose and opened the door. "Um, hello," she greeted the pair.

"Hello," Corrin laughed, "we were just at breakfast, you know?"

"We wanted to come in and check on you," Elise supplied.

"Oh," she stared at them both blankly, "Well, er, I'm fine, thank you."

Corrin looked over her shoulder at her room, which seemed mostly neat, but had clothes strewn about on the floor. "May we come in?" he asked.

Azura's brow rose, "Whatever for?"

"You know," Corrin tried to speak with his hands, "to… chat?"

"Chat?" her eyes shifted, "About what? I've got nothing to chat about."

"Azura, relax," Corrin urged her, "it's not an inquisition, we just want to talk for a little bit in a context not related to the war."

"Right," she looked down at the floor, her face reddening, "Well, um, now's not the best time for me. I have a little bit of a headache, so, would you mind, maybe, coming back later, or something?"

"But," Elise protested.

Corrin put his hand on her shoulder, "Don't be rude, Elise. We have to give Azura her privacy." He looked back up at the blue-haired woman, "If you feel like having a word, you know where to find me."

She nodded and hastily shut the door. When she heard the two sets of footsteps make their way back down the hall, she picked up the white and gray garments and stuffed them into a dresser drawer.

[…]

Iago felt his jaw strain under the stress of his gritting teeth and tried to release the expression, but he couldn't keep himself from scowling, knowing of the indignity he had suffered at the hands of those impudent children! Here he was, steps from achieving his dream, and now they were surfacing as nuisances to him again! He would make them all pay severely for their treachery.

"King Garon will receive you now, Lord Iago," a guardsman called to him. The sorcerer broke out of his stupor and walked into the throne room, slowly drawing up on the king himself, who was staring blankly at the ceiling.

"My liege," Iago knelt, approaching the king.

"Rise," Garon bid him, "What news do you have regarding the Ice Tribe?"

"It is as His Majesty predicted," Iago said, "Prince Corrin was among their ranks."

"And what became of them? And what of Prince Leo?"

Iago felt sweat collect on his forehead, "Er, well, Your Majesty, your humble servant must apologize… Prince Leo… he joined the ranks of the enemy, who managed to evade my grasp."

"What?!" Garon snarled, "You mean to tell me that you not only let our enemy escape, but that you allowed Prince Leo to join them?"

"Worry not, Your Majesty!" Iago pleaded, "Their success will not last. I have a plan to draw the rats out of hiding!"

"I grow weary of your plans," Garon grunted, "Make yourself useful and use that magic of yours to contact Xander. Tell him his assistance is needed in dispatching with these traitorous rodents, do I make myself clear?"

"Abundantly, Your Majesty," Iago bowed, excusing himself from the throne room. As the massive doors shut behind him and he stepped out into the hall, he grumbled, "Sallow-faced fool. 'Make myself useful,' he says. Hmph! Enjoy giving me orders while you can, old man—soon you'll be at my mercy, and when that days comes… oh, I will _revel_ in ending you all…!" Iago quickly silenced himself as he noticed a set of footsteps coming down the hall toward him. "In any case," he sighed to himself as a Nohrian soldier passed by, "no need to get ahead of myself. For now, let's just do as the king commanded and speak with that boy of his."

[…]

Xander placed Siegfried carefully upon the table and wiped his forehead with his handkerchief. He replaced the cloth in his pocket and ran his hands through his hair, sighing, until he was interrupted by the call of his name. He turned on the spot and found Iago staring back at him. "Ah, Iago," he greeted with no pretense of warmth, "you have an awful habit for appearing at rather inconvenient times."

"I think the news I bear will be of greater inconvenience, Prince Xander," Iago spit out the title.

Xander shut his eyes and exhaled loudly, "After two invasions on two different fronts within days of each other, I can't imagine anything you can tell me that would prove even more distressing."

"We found your brother, Prince Xander," Iago smiled.

Xander's face hardened instantly, "Corrin? Is he alive?"

"Regrettably so," Iago said, maintaining his smile, "As your father predicted, he went off to join the rebellious filth that we once called the Ice Tribe. After attempting to recruit the Wolfskin, of course."

"He was in contact with the Beast and Ice Tribes?" Xander pinched his chin, "Is that where he disappeared to?" Before he could complete that thought, some of Iago's words finally struck the prince, and he whipped around again to face the sorcerer, "You said he was alive, what's become of him?"

"Despite my best efforts, he escaped with those frozen rats to an unknown location," Iago shrugged, "Not that it matters—he will meet his end yet, if your father has anything to say about it. I've also been told to inform you that Lord Leo was in his company when he fled."

Xander's eyes bulged, "Leo? Leo went with him? But… why?"

"How the devil should I know?" Iago scowled, "Perhaps some misplaced sense of duty to his brother. In any case, yes, it would seem that all of your siblings have abandoned you, Prince Xander. I wonder… what will you do? Will you kill them all in service to His Majesty? It _is_ the only suitable punishment for traitors to the crown…"

Xander sat down on a nearby chair and rested his head on his hand, not replying for a minute.

"Or will you perhaps join them, and subject yourself to being drowned with all the other rats? How far does your loyalty to the king, your father, go, I wonder?" Iago went on, his voice rising in pitch.

"Does my father have orders?" Xander asked the ground.

"Indeed," Iago replied, his tongue sliding along the back of his teeth, "You are not to return home. Instead, you are to follow a lead King Garon has received regarding another potential rebellion. Your goal, of course, will be to quash this rebellion… and especially, to execute whoever may be leading it."

Xander looked over at the table and stared at Siegfried, the blade still coated in blood.

[…]

"Brother."

Corrin's head lifted from the book and he saw Leo looming over him, the same stern look on his face as always. "Oh, Leo," he said, "No need to harp on me, I'm reading it right now, see?"

"While I commend your decision to finally become a bit more serious about your choice of literature," Leo answered, restrained, "There's something more important to discuss."

"Oh?" Corrin shut the book, "What is it?"

"I've received an anonymous tip," the prince folded his arms, "from a very reliable source. That source tells me that there's another rebellion beginning against King Garon."

"Really?" Corrin's eyes widened, "And they want something to do with us, I presume."

"'Something' indeed," Leo nodded, "Their leader isn't aware of your deeds yet, brother, but one of her men has heard of our endeavors and wants to see if we'll join her ranks, or vice-versa, as the case may be."

"I wouldn't dare ignore a request like that. Where is this coming from?" asked Corrin.

Leo sighed, "Cheve. But, brother, there's something you need to know: some of the rebels, they may not agree with you. They may even be against you…"

Corrin shook his head, "It doesn't matter. We'll never be able to defeat King Garon by ourselves—we need allies. We can sort out ideological differences after the fact. All that we need to know for now is that we share a common enmity with the king."

"Spoken like one with the will to get the job done, brother," Leo concluded, his eyebrows raising slightly, "I'll speak to Silas and our sisters. We'll make preparations to leave early tomorrow morning. And I mean early, so get some sleep: I won't be stopping because you're too tired to keep your eyes open."

"Duly noted," Corrin smiled, waving his brother off.

As Leo opened the door, he muttered, "Excuse me," and Corrin could hear another set of feet coming through. He looked up again and saw Azura staring back down at him, hands behind her back.

"I… wanted to speak a little now, if that's all right," she announced.

Corrin's eyes widened a little, and he stood and gestured toward a chair along the wall in his room, "Of course, yes… uh, please, have a seat."

She thanked him and sat down. "I wanted to talk a bit about our approach to dethroning King Garon," she began.

"Oh," Corrin let out, frowning.

"Oh?" Azura cocked an eyebrow at him.

He shrugged, "Nothing. Please continue."

"I'm wondering if, perhaps, since we're still a small group and we're right under the king's feet, if it wouldn't be wiser to simply infiltrate Castle Krakenburg during the evening and simply… do away with the king then," she said. She gestured with her shoulders and her eyes when she said "do away."

"Bad idea," Corrin shook his head, "Assassination is the work of a criminal. We're trying to show that we have a legitimate claim to the throne, and that King Garon is a tyrant who has abused his power. Every shred of validity in that claim disappears if we kill the king in secret, because then we're just his power-hungry children who killed him when no one was looking to take his spot."

"But… is it really necessary to wage a whole war just to bring an end to him?"

"That depends more on him. If he had answered my claims at the start, this could all have gone very differently, but, for right now, the plan is clear and simple: we gather our strength to show that the people of Nohr are with us, we challenge King Garon head-on with the whole of Nohr watching, we formally indict him for his crimes against the kingdom, and we wait for his reaction. Either way, if the entire royal family of Nohr steps up and charges him with a crime with more Nohrian citizens behind them, we've already won. King Garon will lose any authority he has left to hold the throne. Even if we fall, someone can take up the mantle."

"You've certainly put enough thought into all that," Azura admitted, "though I must admit I'm still not fully convinced that it's the best way to go about fighting a force of pure evil like King Garon."

"It's his last chance to prove he's _not_ pure evil," Corrin answered, no longer looking at Azura, "If he won't even try to defend himself from criminal charges, then no one will follow him, even despite all the fear he's used to rule in the past. That's the thing about oppressors: once one person summons the courage to challenge them, it gets a lot easier for everyone else."

"And what will you do if you succeed?" she said more softly, "Will you take the throne after you unseat King Garon?"

He shook his head again, "No, I'll leave that to Xander. It's his right as the oldest male heir. I doubt I'd make a very good king, anyway."

"I think you underestimate yourself," she replied, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"I appreciate the sentiment," he chuckled, "but I think once this is all done, I'd actually like to visit Hoshido again, to learn a bit more about my mother and father. I'll swear my loyalty up and down to my Nohrian brothers and sisters, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about what else I could learn."

"That sounds… nice," Azura mused, looking at the floor, but slowly lifting her gaze to the prince, "Would you be bothered if I wanted to follow you in that journey?"

He blushed a bit and said, "Not at all."

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Camilla's hips and hair swung their way in, "Corrin, darling, I wanted to ask you about… oh. I didn't realize you were… occupied."

"No, that's all right," Azura stood, brushing her legs through her dress, "I was just on my way out." She walked out the door, brushing past Camilla, and they both exchanged a glare for a short, almost imperceptible moment.

"Anyway," Camilla went on, watching Azura leave and then turning her head back to her brother, "I wanted to talk to you about your clothes. Jakob tells me you've insisted on wearing the same thing for days on end despite his offer to do your laundry, and I have to tell you that as cute as you may look, that sort of thing is simply unacceptable…"

Corrin leaned back in his chair and listened to Camilla's lecture, letting out a sigh. People all day today, he thought.


	17. Daybreak

"I understand the reason for your hesitation," said the red-suited samurai, sighing pensively, "however, I want to emphasize the impracticality of it. My sister put herself in danger to assure me this time to speak to you. I don't have much longer, and I won't let her sacrifice to go to waste. I need you to tell me if you're prepared to go through with this or not."

Scarlet frowned, running a hand through her hair and then settling it on a decorative adornment on her armor. "I respect all that, Prince Ryoma, but… I'm just not sure. Working with Hoshidans is something a lot of my people might have a problem with. They're angry at King Garon, but they're still loyal to Nohr in their hearts, and they won't take kindly to your men no matter what we do."

"As long as they're not about to kill my men on the spot it's a marked improvement from everyone else in this country," he replied, "I don't care if they'll get along, I care about getting this done. If my men can swallow their pride and work alongside previous allies of Nohr, then yours can work with Hoshidans. It's that simple."

"I don't know that it is," Scarlet folded her arms, "Look, Prince Ryoma, you don't quite know the situation here. What _you_ have is an army—a group of trained soldiers following your every command because the law and their obligation to their mother country requires them to. What _I_ have are a group of farmers, thieves, smugglers, and deserters who left the service because they didn't like the way things were being run. They don't owe anybody here anything, me least of all, so if I give them an order they don't like, at best, they'll just up and leave. At worst, well… I've had more than one night where I was too scared to sleep."

"I'm very sorry to hear that," the samurai replied, although his tone did not reflect the sentiment of the sentence, "I'm pressed for time, however, as I already explained. I can't afford to sit on my hands and wait for you to make a decision that affects the lives of all my men."

Scarlet bit her lip, balling her left hand into a fist, "Could you at least let me sleep on it? I've already had kind of a long day, I'm just not sure I'm ready for this."

"Out of the question," he answered, "We need to be ready to move by tomorrow, end of story. I'll hear your answer right now."

"Captain Scarlet!" Both of their eyes widened as a voice traveled up the stairs into their meeting room. "There's someone at the gates, ma'am! He's… he's got an army with him, and he's demanding to see you!"

"You'll have to belay that, Prince Ryoma," Scarlet told him over her shoulder as she raced down the stairs.

As she jogged outside along with the guardsman who had alerted her, she found the Chevois rebels nervously chattering amongst themselves in low voices. Many shifted their eyes, looking worriedly at the gate, and others gripped their weapons so tightly that she could see their knuckles straining, even through the gloves some of them wore. There was a definite air of discomfort, as even the many horses ridden upon by soldiers or freely ambling about the streets seemed ill at ease, occasionally tossing their heads toward the gate, tapping their hooves on the ground anxiously, and even rearing and neighing loudly at times. Scarlet took a moment to hope for her wyvern's safety.

When she got to the gate, the report was quickly confirmed: there was a balding, muscular man standing on the other side of it, wearing a rust-colored scruff of a beard and a frown that was liable to make a child cry. Behind him stood what could easily be over a hundred soldiers dressed in Nohrian armor. Scarlet felt her heart sink: had she been discovered so easily?

The man scowled at her, "You Scarlet?"

She paused for a moment, jarred by the transition between his manner of speaking and Ryoma's. "Yeah, that's me," she put her hands on her hips, trying to appear larger, "who's asking?"

The man cracked his knuckles and she swore she saw him lick his lips briefly, "Me, that's who. I'm Hans of the Nohrian army, and the way I hear it, you're under suspicion of conspiracy against the kingdom of Nohr. If that turned out to be true… well, it'd be real bad for you, suffice it to say."

Scarlet did her best to match his frown. "D'you have any proof backing up a claim like that?" she said, folding her arms flippantly.

Hans smirked. "That's what I'm here for, sweetheart," he replied, tongue washing up along his teeth again, "I just need to have a quick look around, make sure there aren't any large groups of unlicensed armed citizens on the premises. That'd be tantamount to treason."

"And what if I refuse?" she stammered.

"Then I'll take that as an implicit admission of guilt," he concluded, grinning.

Scarlet felt her voice catch in her throat as she tried to think of some response, but it was quickly becoming clear to her that there was no way out of this situation. The way the man looked at her, it was obvious he already knew what he'd find behind that gate, and there was no way she could give an order quickly enough to hide everyone, but fighting an army of this size would surely mean the end of all of them. What could she do? She could pray that the Hoshidans would join in, but, even then, the entire town might be razed before long, so it might not even matter. Her body became cold and she felt her shoulders quiver: there was no way out of this. She had taken too long.

"What's it gonna be, girly?" Hans demanded, slowly retrieving a lethally sharp axe from his back and letting the light that shone on it reflect into Scarlet's eyes.

"To hell with it," she said to herself.

"What's that?" Hans leaned in, cupping his ear for effect.

"To hell with you!" the wyvern rider shouted, "Everyone, attack the Nohrians! Don't let them get through the gate!"

As the Chevois rebels heard her voice, feet and hooves stormed through the village, surging toward the gate in order to protect it. Scarlet herself jumped back, wondering whether she should run to retrieve he wyvern first, or to beg for Prince Ryoma's help instead.

Hans inhaled deeply and stepped slowly toward the gate, signaling for his men to come forward and gripping his axe tightly. "That's what I was hoping you'd say."

[…]

"Is that… smoke?" Corrin started, slowly perceiving the winding black trails flowing out from the rooftops nearby, "Gods… are we… too late?"

"No," Leo shook his head, "that's impossible. No one else should have known about this place but us, and, of course, the Chevois, but there's no way anyone else would have… unless… that swine!"

"What?" Corrin's eyes entreated him.

"I believe that village may be in grave danger," Leo concluded.

"Dammit," Corrin cursed. He faced the group following behind him: "You heard the man, let's go rescue that village!"

Corrin's army rushed forward off the path and through the trees to reach the source of the smoke more quickly, finding blood spatter, discarded weapons, and, eventually, several corpses. "I see Nohrian and Chevois armor," Camilla pointed out.

"No, no, _no_!" Leo's voice deepened into a growl, "How could he possibly…?"

As they continued on, they heard the shouting of conflicting armies, and eventually happened upon a concentration of Nohrian soldiers bearing down on a group of Chevois knights, who were backed against their town's walls.

Corrin pointed to the knights, "Those are the Chevois, aren't they, Leo?"

He nodded.

"Dammit," the middle prince cursed again.

"What's the matter?" Elise piped up, "Shouldn't we help 'em? Isn't that what we're here to do?"

"Yes, but," Corrin hesitated, "I didn't want to fight the Nohrian army proper. Not only is that an incredibly difficult task, but there's also the possibility that… that…"

"Xander is leading them," Leo helped his brother conclude his sentence. "It's in your hands, brother," Leo shrugged, "If you want to let these rebels fall to avoid conflict with the Nohrian army, I'll respect your strategic opinion."

"Strategically stupid," Elise pouted, "If Xander's there, it just means we have a chance to get him on our side! Come on, Corrin! Let's get these guys!"

"Elise!" Leo snarled, "Don't be so insensitive and immature! Our brother is considering a very complicated issue right now, and he—"

"She's right."

"She is?"

"Also, the Nohrians already noticed us."

"Ah. Damn."

As Leo finished lamenting his lack of an inside voice, a few Nohrian soldiers wielding axes rushed toward the group. He snared a few of them with Brynhildr, making them easy prey for Niles and Odin, while Corrin cut the remaining few down with the Grim Yato. They hurried to meet the cornered Chevois, and Corrin came forward, asking, "You there! Chevois! Who is your leader?"

"'ow do I know you are not one of _zem_?" the Chevois knight replied, gesturing with his thumb at the fallen Nohrians.

"Oh, for…" Azura rolled her eyes, "If we were with 'zem,' why would we have just rescued you from 'zem?'"

The knight looked at his comrades and shrugged, "Per'aps you are ze very dedicated—how is it called—double actors?"

Corrin blinked.

"I think he means 'double agents,'" Camilla assisted them, "And either way, you're going to tell us what we want to know right now, or you're going to start regretting it very quickly." The eldest princess of Nohr leered at the knight.

He began sweating and conceded almost immediately, "Ack! Very well, very well! No need to give us ze stinking eye like zat! Capitaine Scarlet leads our forces. I do not know where she can be found at ze moment, but if I were to guess, I would suppose she is in ze center of ze town, along wiz ze unpleasant bald gentleman and ze 'oshidan prince."

Corrin started, "Did you say… Hoshidan prince?"

" _Ouais_ ," he replied, crossing his arms, "I said zat quite plainly, did I not?"

"Everyone!" Corrin shouted, "To the town's center, now!"

The small army followed his command, plunging into the town past its ravaged gate. They encountered and slew small collections of Nohrian troops who were hunting Chevois along the streets of the town, erupting in various degrees of chaos and destruction. As they drew closer to the town's center, Corrin finally got a glimpse of his hopes and fears being realized: in the center of town, surrounded by clashing troops, there stood three people. One of them was a bald, muscular man that Corrin quickly recognized as Hans, the man who tried to kill him by dumping him into the Bottomless Canyon, another was a short-haired blonde woman in red-plated armor with scaly wing motifs whom he did not recognize, and beside her, in all his red-armored, white-coated, long, dark-haired glory, was Prince Ryoma of Hoshido.

The other Nohrian royals obviously recognized the samurai, too, and they were very quickly looking to Corrin for direction. He told them to split off and protect the Chevois. In the meantime, he would engage Hans and Ryoma by himself.

Hans looked poised to strike the samurai until he seemed to catch a glimpse of the Nohrian prince, and then recollection flashed in his eyes as he turned a hungry grin toward Corrin. "You!" he shouted as Corrin ran up to meet him, catching the attention Ryoma and the unknown woman, "I thought for sure a fall like that woulda killed a whelp like you! Well, now you're back—good, that makes my job easy. Nobody gets past me twice."

"C-Corrin?" Ryoma stammered out in exasperation.

Corrin ignored him and scowled at Hans, "You know, there aren't a lot of people I truly want to kill. You're among the lucky few."

Hans laughed, "Bring it, kid."

Corrin ran forward, shouting, and swung the Grim Yato, only for its mighty force to be blunted by the heft of Hans's axe. Hans laughed and swung the weapon down, driving the Grim Yato into the dirt and preparing to swing and lop Corrin's head clean off. As he did so, however, he was knocked aside by a burst of lightning from Ryoma's Raijinto, which sparked as he lowered it.

"Not gonna fight fair, eh?" Hans sneered.

"That's rich," Corrin scoffed.

"See you in hell, kid," Hans took a step back, pulled a bottle out from his pocket, and tossed it on the ground near Corrin and Ryoma so that it shattered. Liquid inside the bottle ignited as it hit the ground, forcing both princes to double back as the heat exploded before them.

"Drop your presents and fall back, boys!" they heard Hans shout, "We'll get ready for the second round!"

As the command was given, the sounds of glass shattering and tomes flipping filled the air, and a furious heat engulfed the town. There were no more sounds of weapons meeting in this period, as they were replaced with shouts of agony and cries for help as the town seemed to glow red and orange, massive pillars of flame shooting into the gray skies.

And then, in an instant, it was all over. As quickly as the fires had emerged, the gently receded and died out, leaving no evidence of their existence but thick black smudges on the ground below them. Fallen Chevois troops stood and panted, staring at the marks incredulously.

As the fighting, too, wore down, and the Nohrian troops appeared to vanish, Ryoma approached Corrin, Scarlet not far behind him. "Well, I'll be damned," he chuckled, wearing a smile. He folded his arms and stared at his brother.

"Ryoma," Corrin acknowledged him, "It's… been a minute, hasn't it?"

"I should say so," the Hoshidan high prince concurred, "I hardly recognize you, your face has become so… hardened. You've got scratches and scrapes all over you."

"The results of my endeavors," he explained briefly.

"So I see," Ryoma raised his eyebrows. He then came forward to embrace his brother, "I just want to say… and you'll forgive my momentary sentimentality… it's good to see that you finally decided to do the right thing."

Corrin stared at him warily, "What do you mean?"

"I think it's perfectly obvious," Ryoma shrugged, "You overcame whatever mind control those filthy Nohrians were using on you, or you realized the state of things by sheer force of will, and now you've come to help your brother put an end to Nohr's belligerence."

"I plan to do no such thing," Corrin shook his head, earning a slow, dawning frown from Ryoma, "I came to offer these Chevois rebels a place with my forces. Together, we'll retake Nohr from the corrupt King Garon and restore it to its former glory."

"I don't understand," Ryoma replied, "our goals are the same, are they not? Defeat King Garon and prevent the Nohrians from ever waging war again."

"I don't plan to cripple my own homeland," Corrin replied, "In point of fact, I hope to bolster it."

Ryoma's frown became a scowl, "What? What is this lunacy? You slay Nohrian soldiers, yet you still proclaim Nohr to be your homeland? Speak sense, brother!"

Corrin shrugged, "I'm talking perfect sense, 'brother.' Just like before, though, you refuse to listen: Nohr is not the problem. King Garon is."

"So… you won't return to us after all?" Ryoma's eyes fell to the ground.

"No," Corrin replied curtly.

The samurai looked back up, "Do you know the fate of our brethren? Of Takumi and Hinoka?"

"I haven't heard anything about Hinoka," Corrin answered, "but I was there to repel Takumi's invasion. He's alive. One of his eyes was struck out, but he's alive, at any rate."

"I feel a cold strangeness hearing you say those things in such a tone, brother," Ryoma soliloquized, staring at his feet, "Only now do I have a sense for the bizarre qualities of war of which King Sumeragi wrote."

"Ryoma." They both looked to the side to see that Azura had come to join them.

"Azura," the samurai looked her up and down, "You too?"

"I don't expect you to understand," she sighed, "but I believe Lord Corrin's approach represents the best chance for peace across the world—for all nations, in other words. I hope you can forgive me."

"You, I can," he nodded, "You were always a princess of Nohr, in one way or another, but Corrin… to be perfectly frank, I find your abandoning your true home and family for that of your kidnappers rather sickening. It is my sincere hope that I will discover that you are not of sound mind."

Neither Corrin's face nor his body moved, "Are we done here?"

"Not yet," Ryoma replied, turning to face Scarlet, "there's still the matter of you, Captain Scarlet. I need an answer."

She looked at him, then over at Corrin and Azura, and then back to the samurai, "My answer is 'I'll pass.'"

His eyes widened, "What?"

"Lord Corrin," she turned to face him, "Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Scarlet, and I am but a humble wyvern knight of Cheve. This rebellion is my doing. If your goal is to unseat King Garon and restore Nohr to its former honor and glory, as you said, then I think our interests align perfectly."

She stuck out her hand, offering it to the prince, who took it, earning him a big grin from the short-haired woman. He thanked her for her offer of assistance.

Not far off, there came a slow procession of hooves striking the dirt just outside the still-smoking town. Beneath blond hair and an iron laurel crown, a pair of eyes concentrated hard on the Nohrian bodies lined up around the town's walls.


	18. Fated Night

The cold, dark winds struck the young prince's face as he tried to stand as straight and square as he could, imagining his foe in the dark. He saw a faint visage in the violet air and cut a line through it horizontally, the blood boiling in his face and arms as he swung. The "whoosh" of the wooden blade cutting the air proved unsatisfactory. With a frown, he swung again, this time horizontally, and once more diagonally, but neither of these did anything to improve his mood. The air whistled off the wood, and he could feel the breezes he was generating with each strike. He tried a few more times, now subconsciously grunting with each swing. The strikes came out more quickly, and he drained more of his breath with each one until his cheeks were tinted red and he had to pause to pant into the darkness for several seconds before he thought he could continue.

Suddenly, there came the sound of heavy footsteps behind him. A wave of cold fear washed over the prince's back, and he swallowed hard as he began to turn around with the greatest apprehension in his eyes. His fears were confirmed: his father was standing at the entrance to the courtyard.

That was not to say that his father was frightening in his appearance. On the contrary: the man looked every bit the respectable king his people hailed him as. Wheat-gold hair parted down the middle and flowing in long, rounded waves around his head, a fair complexion, a strong, pentagonal sort of jaw, and a fine regal goatee to match his hair that completed the kingly look. The black crown that tapered up into hook-like spines was merely supplementary, a matter of tradition, and a bit ill-fitting on the king, but that wasn't to say it did not suit him. The young prince had seen his father's face in a wide range of emotions from moment to moment: a grin straining his whole jaw, his eyes sunken in anger, the whole face shriveled and paled in despair… but right now, he couldn't glean much from the look on the king's face: it was stern but not displeased. It was a look the prince had seen more often on his father in recent days.

"Xander," said the king, looking down at his son, "What are you doing up? You know I forbade you from leaving the castle at night by yourself."

"I… I haven't left the castle," the prince protested.

"Don't test me, Xander," his father warned.

"I wanted to practice," Xander decided upon replying, feeling empowered by the sword in his hand.

King Garon let a humored grunt fly out of his nose. "Practicing for what, exactly?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Xander's grip on the weapon loosened. "I saw a boy in the streets today. He wasn't much younger than me. He looked very hungry, and he was trying to get some bread at a merchant's stall, but his mother pulled him away, saying they couldn't afford it. He looked so sad, father," the child replied.

"Is it wise to concern yourself with a single soul in the whole kingdom of Nohr?" asked the king.

"You once told me that all of Nohr's citizens are our responsibility," his son answered.

King Garon bent his head and folded his arms, inhaling deeply. When he finished, he reopened his eyes and said, "I suppose that's true enough. But what are you at, practicing with swords? Poverty and hunger aren't the monsters in your storybooks, boy. You can't hit them until they go away."

"I know," the child replied, and his chin dipped a little toward his chest, "but you once told me that Nohr is like a predator—like a lion. We can't make our own food, and we can't rely on the land to make it for us, so we have to become strong to get our fill. If we want something, we have to take it for ourselves."

Despite his best efforts, a little smile crawled across the king's face and he nodded at his son. "Well," he huffed, "you _have_ been paying attention. Although I don't know that that remark was specifically directed at you. You do have the sense of things, Xander—Nohr is a land that lacks the luxury of many of its neighbors, and that's why it's so important that we never relax, never soften, never let ourselves grow fat and weak like those who have everything handed to them. Nohr's legacy is conquest, and ever shall it be."

Xander listened to the remark appreciatively and waited in silence while he watched his father's face shift around, jaw twisting a bit without producing words.

The king's eyes eventually relaxed and settled back down on his child. He took a few steps forward and patted the head of wheat-gold hair saying, "That's why, one day, you'll make a fine king."

"You think so?" Xander said abruptly, meager torchlight reflecting in his eyes.

Garon removed his hand and went back to a neutral stance, although the smile didn't leave his face. Now it was an angular smile—more of a smirk. "One day," he repeated, "but not with _that_ form. Show me how you swing that sword again, but this time, move your feet properly! Pretend that all of Nohr is depending on your every strike—is that how you plan to honor your fatherland?!"

"No, sir!" Xander shouted back. He spun around and thrust the blade forward once more.

"Come on!" his father continued to encourage him, "Plant your feet, bend your knees! Keep your arm steady as you swing! This is a battle for everyone you love, so put your whole soul into it!"

Xander continued to comply with his father's instructions, swinging his blade and shouting in response to these cries throughout the entire night and well into the purple-gray of the coming dawn.

[*]

That morning, Xander's memory hastily turned over, they had gone into the throne room together, planning to sit down to breakfast, hoping to avoid admonishment by Katerina… when had he started calling her that? She was his mother. She was. That day was the first day Xander realized that he would never see his mother again, the first day he realized that no matter how hard one fought, not everything could be saved, and the first day he watched his father weep openly. It was also one of the last times he remembered seeing his father smile.

So, he finished his thought as his steed brusquely passed another dead Nohrian, when push came to shove, what would he do? Where would he stand?

Where was he standing?

Instantly, Xander's head shook and with it went this reverie, and he landed firmly back in reality in time to see his brother, a small army slowly encircling him, standing beside none other than the easily recognizable figure of High Prince Ryoma of Hoshido. Xander spurred his horse and heard the hooves tear up the earth as the creature made a beeline for the young prince.

"Xander!" Corrin started, his eyes widening before he had even turned around.

"Brother," the crown prince replied slowly, his brow creasing.

"You?" Ryoma blurted out, equally surprised if not more so, "You were supposed to be delayed by my sister… have we really wasted so much time?"

"Your sister was a paltry challenge for the crown prince of Nohr," Xander boasted, not in any hurry to express sympathy.

Ryoma's eyes narrowed and his breathing became slower. "What did you do to her?" he growled between his teeth.

"I felled her, as I would any enemy of Nohr," Xander said.

"N-No," Ryoma whispered, his eyes shrinking. He leaned forward as if he were about to collapse.

"Xander," Corrin called his brother's attention, "Did you really kill her?"

"I had to," the prince replied, asserting himself, "She was leading an invasion against our kingdom, brother. Should I have let her pass and watch all our people fall to her soldiers?"

"No, I understand," Corrin agreed, his voice low, "It's just… unfortunate. Perhaps… perhaps this is a learning experience, Prince Ryoma. Maybe now you understand why this war is madness."

"What?!" Ryoma barked at him, lifting his head again, "How dare you—she was my sister! I watched her grow up! I tucked her into bed at night! I held her when our mother was away and she cried! I cultivated her dream to rescue _you_! You murdering fiend!"

Without another word, Ryoma leapt at Corrin, who summoned his wits just quickly enough to block his brother's blade. "Ryoma!" Corrin shouted at him, "Calm yourself! This was not a personal vendetta, this was war, plain and simple. Hinoka died because she, not unlike you, refused to see the madness in attacking Nohr when I pleaded for you to leave us be!"

"Be silent, traitor!" Ryoma snarled, swinging a few more times at his brother and being barely blocked on each occasion. "Don't you understand?" he said with ragged breath, "She spent nights crying in pain, wanting nothing more than to find you again, and now you defend the man who killed her?! Have these Nohrians removed every scrap of decency from your soul?!"

Xander batted at the high prince with Siegfried, forcing him to step back. "Enough with your tiring condemnations," Xander said authoritatively, "Your invasion is doomed, your 'brother' is not yours, and you have no hope. I would suggest you start running now."

"Not until this traitor pays for his crime," Ryoma replied, eyes still fierce and concentrated on Corrin.

"It was not Corrin who killed your sister, Prince Ryoma," Xander droned, "It was I. If you must act on some foolish errand of revenge, let it be against me."

"No," he said coldly, his lip twitching, "It has to be him. He knows, he's the one who killed her. Her blood still sits on the tip of his blade. She _never_ forgot that day, Corrin. The day her own brother, who she'd sought for so long, spurned her!"

"Ryoma!" Corrin shouted, hoping repeated calls would tap into whatever sense his brother had left.

It didn't seem to work. The samurai swung at him again. "I won't forgive this betrayal!" Ryoma cried, continuing his attack.

"Enough of this lunacy!" Corrin yelled back, swinging his Grim Yato in kind, staggering the samurai when their blades met.

Ryoma was stunned momentarily by the offensive rush, but he recovered quickly. "You can hide behind words all you like, but your actions belie the truth!" said the high prince, eyes challenging his brother to attack again, "There's no passion in your strikes. You feel the guilt. You know what you've done!"

Corrin tried to shake off the remark, but he did feel some wavering in his muscles and, in that instant, Ryoma seized upon him and cut into his side with Raijinto. Corrin shouted as he could feel the blue sparks around the blade searing his flesh. With some effort, he planted a kick in his brother's chest and jumped back, half reactionarily and half intentionally, to put some distance between them.

Xander was accordingly horrified, shouting, "Corrin! You've just signed your death warrant, high prince!"

Corrin felt a heated sensation in his blood, and he bared his teeth as if they were fangs. Leaping forward on pure adrenaline, he felt fibrous sensations wind through his arms as his hands disappeared and replaced themselves with wicked-looking claws. He growled and sunk the talons into both of Prince Ryoma's arms, toppling him to the ground, causing him to drop his blade, and pinning him down onto the street.

Ryoma's pupils shrank to half their original size as he stared at the face that had put him on the ground, now veiled by an odd mask that sprouted horns. The samurai tried to assess the situation, but between the panic and pain, he could only utter a feverish, "What?!"

Xander, too, had difficulty believing what he was seeing. "Corrin… you…?" he muttered, "What have you…?"

"Oh, no, no, no!" Azura shouted, jogging toward them, "Not again! That dragonstone should allow him to be in control of all this!"

"Is this your doing?" Xander asked, overhearing her.

"No," she answered, rapidly, switching her gaze from Xander to Ryoma to Corrin, "It's… I don't have time to explain, I have to…!" She gave up on her exclamation in favor of trying to settle her voice. She folded her hands to compose herself and sang, " _You are the ocean's gray waves_ …" As the words trailed out, her pendant began to lift into the air on its own and the aqua gemstone inside it shone brilliantly.

"It's all right," the group's eyes widened as they all heard Corrin grunt, "There's no need."

Like Ryoma, Azura was still trying to process the situation, and she meant to ask a question, but ended up blurting out, "Corrin?"

"I _am_ in control," he said between labored breaths, "I needed to settle _him_ down."

The claws slowly retracted from the Hoshidan prince's body, as did the mask over Corrin's face. What remained were the young prince's red eyes glaring back down at the samurai as he pulled back his hands and flexed his fingers to ensure they were still in working order.

Following the silence, Ryoma choked out, "So, this is what you've become."

Corrin stepped away from his brother, saying, "You were there that day, Ryoma. This is what I always was."

By this point, several Hoshidan soldiers had approached the battleground, including a pair of ninja who were advancing toward the fallen high prince: one a redheaded man with a scarred eye who was cloaked in black clothes a blue scarf, and another a black-haired woman wreathed in pale purple garb and a yellow scarf. The woman knelt down by the prince and asked, her voice full of concern, "Lord Ryoma, are you all right?"

He didn't answer.

"Kagero," the male ninja barked at her, "We don't have time, grab him before they try to kill him!"

"I'm not so base as to murder a wounded man," Xander said, leering at both of them, "Get your fool prince out of my sight. And get back to Hoshido. If I find any of you lurking around my homeland after today, the result will not be pleasant."

"Do as he says, Saizo," Ryoma commanded his retainer, his voice strained, "There's nothing left for us here."

Saizo bent his head. "Full retreat," he said, loud enough for all of the Hoshidans present to hear him. With this proclamation, he went around to the prince's other side and lifted up his lord's arm, as did Kagero, and the two took the prince away. From within the crowd, Kaze watched the redheaded ninja march slowly, supporting his prince. The green-haired ninja turned and walked away, burying himself in the crowd.

As everyone began shuffling away from the commotion, Corrin, Azura, and Xander were left standing together. "Xander," Corrin began, his breathing still not quite steady, "were you sent here to quell the rebellion?"

He sighed and answered, "Yes."

"I'd rather not have to fight you," Corrin went on, "So, if you're not going to join me, now would be a good time to end things. I'm very weak, and all my men will think I've gone mad. If you want to bring all this to a swift end… you can do it right now, brother. No one will blame you, not even I. Just please, spare me the pain of having to… to do _that_ again."

"Corrin," his brother said, frowning, "I could never. I wouldn't dream of…"

"Hans was here," Corrin continued, "He'll surely be back. If he does return, and you're with us, you'll be branded a traitor, no question."

"Hans?" Xander repeated, "You… did you fight Hans?"

Corrin nodded. "He arrived here before we did, attempting to kill the Chevois rebels," he explained.

Xander leaned back, as if to give himself more room, and lightly ran his hand along his forehead to move one of his blond bangs out of his face. His fingertips trailed along the iron laurel that crowned his head. After a sigh, he said, "I don't want to fight you either, brother. Kill you, even less. My heart would be unbearably burdened for the rest of my life if I were to do something so callous. But you're right that I can't be seen with your cadre. I know of a town near here, Saurai. I'll wait there, at least until tomorrow. Then I'll give you an answer."

Leo, Camilla, and Elise had begun to draw close by this point, but before any of them could get near enough to their eldest brother to reason with him, he pulled on his horse's reigns, telling it to turn around and begin heading out the way he had come in. "Don't any of you try to stop me from leaving," he ordered them, not looking at anyone in particular, but with enough volume that everyone in the area could hear him, "I need this time to make up my mind. That is my decree as commander of the Nohrian army. Anyone other than my men who attempts to follow me will be killed."

Everyone in the square stood still and silent, and Xander exited the gates, his steed plodding along slowly. Several columns of Nohrian soldiers turned as he passed them and walked away with him, making low rumblings fill the air as they marched in unison for several minutes until they were out of earshot. Flags flapped loosely in the wind.

"Not quite the happy reunion I had in mind," Leo sighed.

Camilla nodded sympathetically at him, then turned to her remaining brother, who was no longer panting, but had his head bent, not daring to look at anyone around him. She approached him slowly, Elise tip-toeing right behind her, watching carefully. Camilla frowned as she noticed Azura had her hand resting on the prince's shoulder, the pale, delicate fingers rhythmically stroking the rounded edge. His face said he didn't even notice the sensation. "Corrin, darling," his eldest sister cooed, "You're injured. Why don't you let Elise fix you up, and then I'll give you a nice, relaxing bath, like when you were little. Would you like that?"

"Was what he said true?" Corrin asked no one in particular, "The look in her eyes… perhaps the betrayal she felt was deeper than I knew. Takumi and Ryoma, too… did they feel the same?"

"Elise, please do heal him," Azura said, continuing to rub his shoulder, "I think he'll take a rain check on the bath, however."

Elise sidestepped out from behind Camilla and produced her staff, lifting it and letting it shimmer as the red streak along Corrin's side slowly stitched itself closed, and bare, pale flesh was left in place of the strip in his armor.

Camilla refused to be so easily silenced, however. She walked around in front of her brother and cupped his chin, lifting it so he would look her in the eyes. "I know this is all very difficult for you," she said, "Please, come and see me if you're willing or desiring to talk to someone. I absolutely hate seeing you so upset."

He nodded slowly at her.

"I'll, uh, try to find some space for you folks to shack up for tonight," Scarlet told Camilla, rubbing her neck, "There's not a lot of room, so you might have to share, but we'll get you all somewhere to sleep, at least."

"Thank you," the eldest Nohrian princess replied airily, "come along, Elise." The blonde princess wordlessly complied, stealing one last look at her brother.

Azura withdrew her hand, as if she had just become aware of the motion it was making and felt that it was inappropriate. "Corrin," she murmured, "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," he said, not looking at her.

She waited a minute in silence, watching lingering smoke float over the town and listening to the wind blow the flags on the turrets around them. When it was clear there was nothing more to say, she bowed and walked away.

Corrin stood when he could no longer hear her footsteps. He winced: his side stabbed him anew with a sharp pain, enhanced by the cold wind blowing on the bare skin.


	19. Dance in the Dark

Azura looked up into the inky black that had covered the town. Her golden eyes darted between the lights cast by the stars, which poked out and twinkled at her even in the greater darkness of the Nohrian skies. Here, she viewed them from a different angle, but there could be no doubting that they were the same stars. She sighed and wrapped her hand around her pendant, feeling the icy chill of the metal, as it, too, had been exposed to the cold the entire time. She had been thinking of her mother's words again. She had been thinking of water.

She couldn't remember the last time it had rained. She had always liked the sound of rain: the steady rhythm beating on the walls as she slowly drifted off to sleep had taken the place of lullabies for her, especially in the years after her mother's passing. While others lamented the rainy days, she embraced them, knowing that she could find order and peace in the world again when she felt the simplicity of the organization of those tiny drops of water. She liked the feeling of the beads running down her skin, although, on the other hand, her hair was an utter nightmare when it was wet, and the problem had worsened since she let it grow out. Nevertheless, she liked the rain so much that others frequently worried she would catch a cold by standing out in it, but she never did: the chill seemed to simply bounce right off of her.

Now, when she thought of the rain, she thought of her pendant, as the small stone featured in its front was shaped like either a raindrop or a teardrop, depending on how one viewed it. She had come to the opinion that either perspective was valid. The item itself had been at the center of her life for many years now, which seemed appropriate, given the way it rested squarely in the center of her chest, like it had been fashioned solely for her, but she still sensed that she did not grasp the full depth of the artifact's power.

To quell the raging seas. To douse the sparking fire. To quiet the roaring waves. Those were the terms on which her mother had described its utility. For a time, Azura found herself angry at her mother for giving these grand explanations: the trinket didn't seem to do any of these things. In fact, it didn't seem to do _anything_. It was only after a careful re-examination of her mother's words that she realized her mistake. Now, she thought, she knew how to use the pendant, but its powers remained mysterious to her: where had it come from? Who had made it? Why was her mother in possession of it?

She had conjecture, but it was impossible to speak to anybody about it. Such was her curse.

Azura was startled as she heard a gasp beside her. When she turned around, she found the purple-haired eldest princess of Nohr gazing back at her. Her shock turned to an unsettling amusement as she asked, "Well now, what are _you_ doing up at this hour, little stray?"

"Taking a walk," Azura answered.

"Don't think just because my little sister enjoys you as a plaything that you and I aren't going to have things out at some point," Camilla said, dropping all subtlety.

Azura flinched at the sudden change of tone. "I don't know what your problem is," she said, "I've never done anything to harm you or the rest of your family. Why are you so bothered by my presence?"

"You're the one who sent my father over the edge," the princess shot back.

"What?"

"After Queen Arete—that is, your mother—died, my father was never the same man again. She had done something to him—changed him, bewitched him, I don't know, but there's no doubt in my mind about it."

"Ridiculous! Don't pin your father's madness on my mother!"

"Don't take that tone with me, you little whelp! You're nothing but a street urchin my father deigned to rescue! A decision for which he was rewarded with the slow degradation of his soul."

"Your father's depravity has nothing to do with me or my mother. Anything that has happened to King Garon is his own fault. Why do you insist on blaming me?"

"Because," Camilla said, gritting her teeth, "you're nothing but a family of witches! One day, out of the blue, your mother appears with you in tow, and within days, my father is asking to marry her, completely wrapped up in her thrall!" Azura thought to respond, but she noticed a shift in the princess's voice and allowed her to continue. "Never mind what became of my mother after that," Camilla said, "or any of the other courtesans… never mind what any of the children went through because of that. My mother changed forever, and so did I. Did you ever give a thought to what happened to us after that? Everyone started becoming suspicious of one another—that was before Queen Arete disappeared. When she left, things became _so_ much worse. There were rumblings before—arguments, disputes, silent treatments, but there was never any actual blood until…"

"Blood?" Azura interrupted her.

She frowned. "Yes, blood," she reiterated, rolling her tongue out on the "l" sound to reinforce it, "I wouldn't expect you to know, since you were always more concerned about yourself."

"I was concerned about myself because they tried to have me killed afterward!" Azura said.

"They tried to have us _all_ killed, sweetie," said Camilla, her tone suggesting that this nickname was not endearing, "Everyone except for dear Xander, because even as a child, everyone knew not to mess with the king's favorite son. I think poor, sweet Leo got it the worst."

"What happened to him?" Azura asked, hesitating a little.

Camilla smiled. "Like the rest of us, his mother tried to use him to curry favor with the king," said the princess, "but, of course, when everyone has the same objective in mind, things can get quite messy…"

"You don't mean…" Azura said, putting her hand over her mouth.

"Of course," Camilla said, "Do you think Xander is the only reason for his inferiority complex? If _only_ he had been just a few minutes faster returning to her…"

"And you truly blame my mother for all this?" Azura asked, recalling where their conversation had begun.

"Put yourself in my shoes," Camilla replied, looking her up and down, "as difficult as that may be for you. How do you think you'd feel?"

"I'm… very sorry, Camilla," Azura said, pausing to consider her words carefully.

"You're 'sorry,'" Camilla repeated the word like she'd never heard it before, "We went through all of that, and you're 'sorry.'"

"What more do you want from me? I can't bring my mother back to answer for these charges," Azura said.

"No, you can't," the eldest Nohrian princess agreed, her voice dropping the anger in exchange for sobriety. Azura said nothing and watched as the purple-haired princess took a few steps away from her, and then turned around. "You really can't, can you?" Camilla said, not specifically to Azura, "You're completely right, of course. I just… I thought about it for years—what all I'd say to you, and I imagined there'd be some kind of great catharsis watching sadness twist your face as you heard about what you'd done to us, but… you weren't the one who did it. That person is gone, vanished into thin air, like she never existed. The revelation I dreamed of giving you… it's a wholly empty one, isn't it?"

Azura decided against saying anything in reply. She gave a sort of half-nod and waited for the princess to continue.

"Please excuse me," Camilla said, putting the back of her hand to her head, "this whole affair has made me lose my reason. Dealing with Father and the rest of my siblings… it's all been a very long and stressful affair. I think it would be best if I retired for the evening."

Azura nodded again. "Good night, Camilla," she said, as gently as she could.

Camilla walked down the open street with vacant eyes.

Azura spent a few more minutes wandering up and down the empty streets as the wind blew ash and debris from the battle all over the town. She did her best to avoid the smears and pools of blood from corpses that had since been removed. As she walked, her eyes mostly shut to resist the wind, she did her best to put the discomfort of her confrontation with Camilla out of her mind. The first thing that appeared to replace it was a song she remembered her father singing.

She giggled a little on remembering it so suddenly. She didn't think much of her father these days—his memory reduced to a vague vision at this point—but she did remember the funny, gruff way her sang. He told her he had come up with the song to be about her, to compete with her mother's lullabies and generally better singing prowess. She recalled liking the song quite a bit. She began to hum the melody, and the lyrics slowly drifted from her lips: _Did you ever see a wild goose sailing o'er the ocean? They're just like them pretty girls when they gets the notion_ …

She opened her eyes and was startled to find Corrin staring back at her. She yelped and leapt roughly a foot backwards upon registering the sight.

Corrin blinked. "Oops," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "I didn't mean to startle you like that. I heard your voice coming from out this way and I just wanted to make sure everything was all right."

"W-Well, of course I'm all right!" she shouted, "I was singing! Why would I be singing if I weren't all right?"

"I don't know!" Corrin replied, putting his hands out to try to deflect her anger, "A code, or something? It's just unusual for anyone to be up this late, I was afraid… er, Azura, your face is getting quite red, you know?"

She didn't, but revealing that fact only made her angrier. "That's because you scared me half to death!" she said, "If you didn't have to come skulking around every time I try to sing, this wouldn't be a problem!"

"I'm sorry!" he said, writhing, "I was only trying to help, honestly! I would never… lurk."

"You had better not," she fumed, folding her arms.

"Can I ask you a simple question, at least?" he persisted.

"What?"

"If you're not in danger, what are you doing up so late?"

"I couldn't sleep. What about you? If you're not just following me, what are you up to?"

"I couldn't sleep either. Thinking about what happened with Ryoma and Xander, I just couldn't force my mind to be silent."

"Right," she said, frowning as the realization came to her, "I hadn't even thought of that. Excuse me, it was very insensitive of me to act like that."

"It's all right," he said, smiling a little, "it was actually kind of nice to see you so animated for once."

"What?"

"It's just, you know, you're usually so quiet, and you're always off by yourself… Outside of the occasional smile or frown, I feel like I've barely ever seen you express yourself."

"Oh. I see."

"Like that. I don't mean to embarrass you, but I feel uncomfortable seeing you look so… I don't know, bottled up. It seems like something's always bothering you. Is there something you're trying to keep from the rest of the group?"

"Are you accusing me of something?"

"Not at all, I just want to see you be able to relax more. To not be constantly thinking about what's going to happen next. I want to get to know you better, Azura. As a person."

"Oh."

"I mean, you were once a princess of Nohr, right? So, that makes us family as much as any of my other Nohrian siblings. I'd hate to think I don't know anything about a member of my own family?"

"Corrin," she murmured, a pang of sorrow not unnoticed in her voice, "That's very sweet of you, but I don't really want to discuss my past. It's a difficult subject for me."

He frowned and said, "Of course, I'm sorry. Camilla told me about some of the things that happened around that time. I can see why you might rather forget about it. Well, all right, tell me something that's not in the past."

"Hm?"

"What's your favorite food?"

"…Are you making fun of me?"

"No, just making conversation. Come on. I'll tell you, I liked it when Camilla and Elise would come by the Northern Fortress with berry tarts for me. And Jakob used to make these great steak sandwiches… that was my favorite dinner. And Flora used to make these cabbage rolls with this special seasoning I could never place…"

"Sushi."

"Huh?"

"I liked to eat sushi a lot when I lived in Hoshido."

"…What is that, exactly?"

"Raw fish, served over sticky vinegar-coated rice and covered in soy sauce."

"That's… unique."

She smiled. "I think you'd like it," she said, "I'll happily show you some of my favorite kinds when this is…"

"Azura?" he called, "You trailed off there."

"I'm sorry," she replied, "I just… I think this is the first time I actually considered that this might all… end at some point. It's bizarre—I hadn't ever really pictured doing anything _after_ this, but, all of a sudden…"

"I know the feeling," Corrin said, "Back when I first returned to Nohr, all my doubts about King Garon still bouncing around, I never for a moment thought that it would really be possible for things to end well, but, all told… well, I don't want to jinx anything, but I'm glad we made it this far." She murmured some form of agreement, still wrapped up in her own thoughts, and Corrin slowly gazed at her dress, admiring the long strands of periwinkle ribbon and the frills along her shoulders. After a moment, he became fixated on her pendant, remembering in a haze the sight of it glowing and hovering before her as her arms outstretched.

She cleared her throat. "Corrin," she said, the sympathy draining from her voice, "I would enjoy our conversation a lot more if you'd recall that my eyes are up here." She pointed to the gold lights that were looking at him with disapproval.

It was his turn to blush. "Oh, no, I wasn't," he stammered, "I was looking at that pendant of yours… It's very unique, isn't it? It has something to do with your singing, right?"

"Right," she said, "The pendant gives power to my voice. Without it, I merely croon, but with it, I can renew the spirits of our comrades, or purify them, as it were."

"Something so precious must have been given to you by someone important," Corrin guessed.

"It was my mother's," said Azura, "though I don't know where she got it from. I'm inclined to believe it's a treasure that has been passed down by our family for generations."

"How mysterious," he said idly, "I suppose that's a bit like the weapons passed down in the Hoshidan and Nohrian royal families. And, in some ways, like my Grim Yato: I don't know who placed it in the statue I received it from… I wonder if that person knew it would be destroyed one day. At any rate, I guess it's not quite the same, because your pendant isn't intended to be used as a weapon. Maybe that's what makes you so different from the rest of us."

She looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"I was just saying we're all burdened by these symbols of lineage we bear," he said, gesturing broadly, "but yours is the only one that doesn't seem designed for making war… kind of like you seem like you weren't made for making war. You're far too peaceful a person, Azura."

She sighed and nodded in agreement. "Could I tell you a little story about that?" she said, turning to face him again, a bit of amusement sparkling in the gold of her eyes.

"Please do," he replied.

She cleared her throat and began:

"Once, there was a great, green meadow on an island that floated in the heavens. Below this meadow, the stars and twilight splashed and churned like waves upon the shore, and above it, the waves of the ocean glinted like starlight. This was the realm of the gods, where no human could tread. In this meadow, there lived three beings. They were called Levko, Mavro, and Krei.

"The three beings had many different ideas about how the world functioned, as they were not gods themselves, but they were separate from humans. They pondered their own existence, and wondered how they had come to be. 'Clearly,' said Levko, 'we are descended from the wind—the energy of the gods. They willed us to be, and so we exist, our form given to us by their design. We are free and unrestricted, and yet, ultimately, we possess little power to influence our world.'

"Mavro, hearing this, thought on Levko's words and shook his head. 'That cannot be,' he said, 'Were we descended from the wind, we would have no shape. But you can see me as clearly as I can see you, and we are bound to this place by an unseen force, so we are not without restriction. We must be hewn of the land, as are the mortals.'

"The two could not find an answer to their question, and so they looked to Krei. Krei always settled their disputes when there could be no clear answer. But this time, when they asked Krei to explain things, they were told Krei could not answer them. They spent their days discussing the matter with one another, but never came to a satisfactory conclusion.

"Their discussion gradually devolved into argument: neither party would compromise with the vision of the other. The anger of the two increased as their dispute wore on and, with time, the intensity of their debate made it clear that they would soon come to blows. Levko and Mavro stood across from one another, each prepared to strike at the other, when, suddenly, Krei came forth and stood between them.

"'At last, you've arrived!' exclaimed Mavro, 'Please, tell this fool the truth that we might end this.'"

"'Be not intimidated by him, old friend,' said Levko, 'You know the truth, and I will protect you from his wrath when he lashes out."

"But Krei did not answer either of them. He remained still and listened to the sound of the grass bending gently in the breeze. When it was clear they would not receive an answer, Levko and Mavro lowered their fists in dejection. When they did so, Krei turned around and bid them follow him. He led them to a grand waterfall, where white water roared and rushed down a blackened cliffside and into a shimmering river below. Krei stood in the river basin where it was shallowest, just beyond the mouth of the waterfall, and said, 'I believe we are born of the water. We are not as free as the air, but we move with impunity and purpose, soft and ineffectual in base, but capable of shearing the firmest rock when our purpose demands it. We cannot shape the world, as can the gods, nor can we shape our lives, as can the mortals, but we can shape our fate, either by moving forward or standing still. When I was silent, my words spoke louder than yours. When I was immobile, I moved you both. Such is the nature of our power."

Corrin blinked as Azura finished telling the tale and took a deep breath. "That's a bit… confusing," he said, "although it seems familiar. I think one of my caretakers used to tell me a similar story when I was a boy. In their version, though, the one you called 'Krei' grew fed up with the fighting of the other two and left the meadow, and Mavro fought against and killed Levko, proclaiming that that which was hewn from the earth should return to it."

"Did you ever get the sense those might be a bit more than folktales?" Azura asked, the playful wonder now leaving her eyes.

"Your tone tells me I should," he replied.

Azura smirked. "Take some time and think about it," she said, "I only mentioned it because you brought up family… it's a story my mother used to tell me."

"Ah," he said suddenly, "The thing about the water…?"

"That's right," she replied, nodding.

"Well, I can see some value in that, although I have my disagreements," he continued, "I mean, who says you have to sit still and wait for things to come to you like that?"

Azura pinched her chin and began to respond: "Well, I—"

"Either way, I'm glad you're with us, Azura," said Corrin, cutting her off, "I feel like we were fated to find each other, given how similar are circumstances are. Plus, maybe I'm wrong and that attitude of yours is just what we need. Still, I'd like it if maybe you'd be just a bit more communicative. You know, even if it's just with a few people…"

She smiled at him. "I'll try," she said, "maybe you can help me, in that case."

"I'd love to," he said, nodding, "why don't we start tonight? Would you like to come to bed with me?"

Her smile immediately disappeared. She stared at him and said, "I'm going to give you the opportunity to reconsider that question."

He paused and thought about it, then exclaimed, "Oh! No, that's not what I meant, either! Geez, I'm having a rough go of it tonight… What I mean is, why don't you come with me to the building where I'm sleeping? We can find a spot for you, and then we can chat some more until we're both ready to close our eyes."

"That sounds much better," she replied, regaining a bit of her smile.

"Now, let's see…" he said, thinking aloud as they began to walk, "Here's one: what's your least favorite vegetable?"

"You're going to be upset with me, but I used to have to be force-fed cabbage, I hated it so much."

"Hahaha! I can't imagine those soft cheeks stuffed full of cabbage, crying in protest."

"Yes, yes, very funny. You know what else is funny? What Flora told me about you and your refusal to eat ham."

"Wha-? How dare she! I can't help it, I didn't know they were going to do that to Pinky! I loved him!"

"Hahaha! Your face just then! Pfffft!"

"Oh, yeah? Did you have a good laugh? Because one of Leo's retainers did a little scouting and found out something else about you… look here!"

"EEEEK! Get that away from me! Why are you holding it?! Ewewew! Getitaway, getitaway!"

"What? He's just a harmless, slimy little friend, aren't you, buddy?"

"It's disgusting!"

"It's a salamander. And his name is Saul."

"Corrin, don't you dare put that anywhere near my face…! Augh! If it touches me, no staff will be able to fix what I do to you!"

"All right, all right. Bye, Saul. It was pretty funny, though, right?"

"If you were my brother, I'd probably punch you in the shoulder."

"Oh, go for it."

"No, I couldn't."

"Do it, I want you to feel comfortable. Come on, I probably deserve it."

"Fine, you asked for it."

"Ow! I didn't know those delicate hands could pack such a wallop!"

"You're asking for another one."

"Mom! Azura's being mean to me!"

They both laughed aloud. The sound echoed out into the black of night, spiraling into the wind and beyond the moon.


	20. Unto Twilight

There was a small noise that caused Corrin to register that his eyes were closed, and that he was not yet fully awake. He listened closely to the sound to try to determine its source, but it faded almost as immediately as it had appeared. Then there was a greater noise, something like a knock on a wall below him, but it wasn't quite enough to rouse him. The gears began turning in his mind, and he became aware of the fact that he was lying close to Azura, as he could smell the uniquely perfumed scent of her long hair. As he further contemplated that sensation, there was a still louder noise: this time, Corrin's eyes opened as he heard what was distinctly a shout. He sprang off of the cot that lay on the floor and stumbled toward a window, where he saw a shouting Chevois being dragged out of another house by his leg. A Nohrian soldier was struggling with him, and another came by to smash the Chevois man's head against the wall to erode his resistance. Once he fully gripped the situation, Corrin bent down and rapidly shook Azura's shoulder. "Azura!" he called, "Wake up! This is an emergency!"

Her eyes fluttered open and she murmured in confusion at the Nohrian prince. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up, dragging her down the stairs (upon which she narrowly avoided tripping) and toward the door, which he flung open, gesturing to the ongoing kidnapping. Azura gasped. "Who?" she asked sleepily.

"I don't know," said Corrin, "But I've a mind to find out." The prince ran over to the Chevois in distress and ran his Grim Yato through the soldier who was dragging him. When the remaining soldier came forward, Corrin lowered himself and hacked at the man's leg, bringing him crashing to the ground. "Who sent you here?" Corrin demanded, making his point by leveling his blade at the man's face.

"G-General Hans!" the soldier stammered, backing away from the blade, "We just got the order an hour ago!"

Corrin sighed: at least he knew it wasn't Xander. This presented another problem, however: the entirety of the prince's army, as well as his siblings, were all in this town. If the Nohrians were systematically dragging people out, every second meant the potential loss of an ally. He would need to decide how to act quickly. Azura came jogging up behind him. "What's going on? What should we do?"

"It's Hans," Corrin replied, "I knew he'd be coming again, but I didn't expect it this quickly. I have to warn everyone as soon as possible, or it'll mean the end of all of us."

"That craven dastard," Azura cursed, "attacking people in their sleep… I know you want to see the good in Nohr, Corrin, but people like this Hans…"

"No, you're right," he told her, "Hurry, I need you to wake up as many of our friends as you can, it's the only way we'll get out of this alive."

"Right."

Their course of action thus decided, Corrin made a beeline for the building housing his siblings. He practically broke down the door as he entered, shouting for them all to join him. As they all sprang up, they headed toward the door, heard their brother's explanation, and went to seek their retainers. A few Chevois soldiers also tumbled dazedly out of the building and pledged to go alert Scarlet.

Azura ran off in the opposite direction, toward the building that had housed Kaze, Felicia, Jakob, Flora, Silas, and, for a few hours, herself. When she arrived, against her better nature, she pounded furiously on the door until an angry Jakob flung the door open and asked what she thought she was doing. She explained the situation and the butler quickly summoned the rest of the troops lounging in the house. They took to the streets as Azura found herself a horse at a nearby stable. She hopped into the saddle and took the reins as quickly as she could, losing her balance once or twice.

"What in the Dark Dragon's name are you doing?" Jakob asked her, seeing the act.

"I'm going to ride off to speak to Xander," she answered.

"Are you mad?" the butler replied, "Lord Xander said he would kill anyone who attempted to follow him."

"I think our current situation is more pressing," said Azura, "and I think he'll agree. I'll simply ask Prince Xander if his loyalty to the king is worth seeing the heads of all his siblings rent from their bodies along with the complete extirpation of an entire town's worth of men and women."

"When you put it that way," Jakob said, frowning and with his arms crossed, "I suppose it is somewhat compelling. Don't be long, young Lady Azura. We wouldn't want to have to worry after you, too."

"You have my word," she replied. Afterward, she pulled up the reins and commanded the horse forward: it took off at a blistering pace that nearly caused Azura to fall again.

Corrin helped a few more Chevois soldiers out of their houses as he struck down a Nohrian knight who had been approaching them. A pair of cavaliers emerged from beyond the town's walls and made their way toward the prince, but these were subdued by Niles and Odin, who beamed proudly as Leo looked back to praise them. Shortly, Corrin's retainers, as well as Silas and Kaze, appeared from beyond a bend in the street and regrouped with the royal family.

"The Chevois should be able to handle evacuations from here out," Leo declared, calling to his brother, "I think we should focus on preventing additional Nohrian soldiers from entering the town."

"Good thinking," Corrin agreed, "but I was planning to take it one step further."

"How do you mean?" Leo asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"I'm tired of being on the run, especially from the likes of scum like Hans," Corrin said, more than a little contemptuously, "Just like we sent a message to Iago, I think it's time we showed the Nohrian military that we're not to be trifled with. Killing their general ought to send them running scared."

"Ooh!" Camilla exclaimed, "Now you're sounding just like a proper Nohrian general yourself! Where has this side of you been, dear brother?"

"Waiting for the right target, I'd wager," Leo answered her, "I never liked callous brutes like Hans, either. Let's give him a hands-on demonstration of brains over brawn."

Corrin nodded and gave the order to the rest of the soldiers gathered around him. They hurried beyond the town gate, quickly swallowing any Nohrian troops that had been sent to catch them off-guard, and they began to run into the surrounding woods, following the dispatches of Nohrians that they slew as they pressed on.

[…]

"Princess Azura," Xander said measuredly, staring at the woman coldly as his men began to gather around him.

"Prince Xander," she said in kind, descending from her horse.

"I thought my instructions were perfectly clear," said the prince, scowling.

"They were," Azura replied, "but I think you'll find what I'm about to tell you more important: Hans and his army have resumed attacking the Chevois town, including all of the rebels and all of your siblings."

"What?" Xander started, "Iago told me their plans were to stand back and coordinate for the remainder of the day."

"I swear, I speak the truth," Azura said, "Your brothers and sisters are in mortal peril, Prince Xander. On the orders of the commanders of the Nohrian military, no less."

Xander grit his teeth and looked at the ground. "But how could…?" he muttered, "Has it really come to this?"

"Prince Xander!" Azura called to him, "The time for contemplation is over. Swift decision and ensuing action on your part is required. You asked us to give you time to make up your mind—well, this is as much time as you're going to get."

"I just can't believe…" he began to protest. Slowly, however, he forgot the words and simply growled. "Dammit, Iago, you fool," he cursed, "you forced my hand. I'll just have to sort this mess out in person, then." The prince threw his arm out to command his troops' attention. "All units!" he called, "We make for the Chevois town that came under fire yesterday. The area is currently in a state of chaos, so we will undoubtedly incur resistance. My orders are as follows: no matter what banner they bear, anyone who strikes you or the man beside you is your enemy, and you will engage them as such." The Nohrian soldiers shouted their acceptance of the order. "Very well, then," Xander said gravely, "Princess Azura, please remain near me. You will be the beacon to signal to my brother that we are not his enemy. Yet." She nodded.

[…]

After knocking over another line of Nohrian soldiers, Corrin broke away from his siblings into the clearing before him. Standing on the other side of the thinning tree line, he found not only Hans, but Iago, too. He stepped toward them, catching both of them by surprise, judging by the looks on their faces when they noticed him. "Y-You!" Iago shouted, "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be roasting in that quaint little hovel you all holed up in!"

"What's the matter, Iago?" he responded, "You sound scared. I'm just trying to stick to the Nohrian style of warfare: dogged pursuit of the enemy by any means. No distractions, no delay… go right for the throat and end it in an instant. I have to say, though, I didn't think I'd find you _and_ Hans here. I owe you both a serious debt. I'd like to repay the favor now."

Iago flinched, but Hans merely pushed the sorcerer out of the way. "Big talk from a boy built like a twig," said Hans, "If you've got a death wish, I'll be happy to grant it."

Locking eyes with his opponent, Corrin charged forward at him and swung the Grim Yato. As before, however, Hans's power proved too great, and he blunted the swipe with his axe, thereafter shoving Corrin back and leaving the prince wide open for a follow-up. Corrin shouted in agony as the thick metal dug into his skin in the smashed portion of his armor where Ryoma had cut him the day before. "You're a real uppity little snot," Hans said, planting his boot in the prince's chest to dislodge his axe, "I'm really gonna enjoy taking that prissy little head off your shoulders."

Corrin reached forward with his free hand and pushed Hans's heel, causing the axe-wielder to stumble forward and collapse. Corrin rolled out from under him and tried to bring his Grim Yato up, but as he did so, he felt a burst of heat on his back and fell over again.

"Now, now," he heard Iago taunt from behind him, "there'll be none of that."

"Coward," Corrin grunted, trying to stand again.

Iago scoffed. "Did you really think I'd play by some kind of code of honor?" he asked, "Go walk among the fields fertilized by the corpses of fallen soldiers and ask them if honor matters. True strength is doing anything and everything one can to achieve one's desires. If you were half the Nohrian you claimed to be, you'd know that by now."

At this point, Corrin was standing again, and he leered at Iago, but he heard Hans running up to meet him and turned just in time to parry a vicious sweep of the brute's axe. As Corrin prepared his own attack, he was halted by Hans's fist making contact with his face. He staggered back and covered his mouth as he tasted blood. He tried taking another step forward and slicing Hans regardless, but he was knocked away by another burst from Iago's tome. He flew onto his back a few feet away and coughed as he felt his chest burn.

Hans was upon him in an instant, stepping his boot straight down on the prince's sternum. "Go on," Hans goaded, "Scream. Squirm. _Beg_ for your life. I want to hear it—Dark Dragon knows no one else will. Come on, do it real pretty-like and I might even let you live."

"I'd sooner die," Corrin replied, choking.

"That can be arranged," Hans said with a wicked grin. He pressed down even harder, and Corrin couldn't help but to shout and growl as the air seemed to be pushed out of his lungs.

"Oh, this is simply _delightful_ ," Iago said, clasping his hands together as he slowly walked over, "All your scheming to get others on your side… it's all irrelevant in this moment, isn't it? None of them can reach you, none of them know you're here… You're going to die right here, before me, all alone, just like you should have all those weeks ago. Tell me, Coward Prince, how does it feel, knowing that as much as you struggled, I'm still going to send you to your grave?"

"You… did… nothing…" Corrin managed to say between pants as the weight on his chest continued to choke him.

Iago scowled. "Insolent little creature!" he shouted, "Even in death, have you no dignity? Concede, you've been vanquished!"

"Not… by… you…" said Corrin.

"You…!" Iago exclaimed, his fists tightening, "That's enough! Hans, end this, will you?"

"Don't need to tell me twice," Hans said, raising his axe. Corrin watched it glint in the daylight.

"Farewell, Coward Prince," Iago said, regaining his composure, "Just know that once you cease to be a thorn in my side, I will finally be free to slowly kill each and every one of those dear siblings of yours, and then that fool old man. With you, my ascent to the Nohrian throne begins! Hahaha! I can't believe the day's finally come!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," replied a voice from behind them.

Iago looked back to find the source of the voice and gasped, "Wha—? You…!"

"What's the matter, Iago?" said Xander, glaring, "You seem surprised to see me."

Corrin looked over, wheezing, as his lungs continued to be crushed, but his eyes welled as he saw Xander sitting astride his horse along the edge of the clearing with Azura beside him.

"I thought I told you to stand back for today," Iago said angrily.

"Yes," Xander said, nodding, "I was under the impression that everyone had received that order, and yet here I find you sending troops to attack the town. And that remark you made just now… Iago, I'm sure you're aware that threatening the life of not only a prince of Nohr, but the king himself is a very serious instance of treason."

"Go ahead," Iago said, smirking, "tell the king. I'm sure he'll believe you. And once all of your brothers and sisters are dead, I'll make sure to make your death the slowest and most agonizing, Prince Xander."

"You don't have the spine, wretch," Xander replied, "My brother fought valiantly… the only reason you managed to even subdue him was because you had another lackey helping you out."

"Who're you callin' 'lackey?'" Hans said, turning to face the prince. As he did so, Corrin concentrated whatever bodily control he had left into his arms. As before, they rapidly transformed into claws that sunk into Hans's legs and, with tremendous force, dragged him off the prince and flung him away. Iago took note of this development and stared in horror as Corrin rose to his feet, panting and clutching his chest.

"What in…?" the sorcerer gasped, "What… what _are_ you?"

Xander rode into the clearing, brandishing Siegfried for Iago to see. "He is my brother," said Xander, "a true prince of Nohr. And I see now that he fought for his kingdom's betterment where even I failed. For that, I ask his forgiveness."

Corrin began to nod, but, as he did so, he saw a light shimmer and glow from both Siegfried and his own Grim Yato. Both brothers looked at their blades and, in an instant, the light overwhelmed the vision of everyone present. When Corrin found himself able to see again, he looked down to find the blade now slightly elongated, with a notch at the midpoint of the blade itself. The new sword glowed with a mauve aura, and two red jewel-like lights shone at its base. "Brother," Xander said, staring at the sword, "what's happened?"

"It's the same as what happened with Leo," Corrin said upon realizing it, his voice slowly returning, "Xander… this is the power of my Yato—it transforms in response to the weapons of the royal family. I hear the blade calling to me… it bids me to call it 'Shadow Yato.'"

"I see," said Xander, now smiling, "then it seems I was destined to side with you all along. Now, as for you, Iago…"

The sorcerer was slowly stepping back, staring wide-eyed at the Shadow Yato as its tip was pointed at him. "Hey!" Hans shouted, charging at them both, legs doused in blood, "I don't recall excusing you, you little freak!"

Corrin leapt at him almost as soon as he appeared, and the prince swung his blade straight down at Hans, who attempted to blunt the attack with his axe. He failed—the blade sliced through the axe's handle, leaving the head of the weapon to tumble uselessly into the grass while Hans stumbled, receiving a long, red stripe down the center of his chest. He grunted furiously when he noticed the mark, and made to grab at the prince—a move that was resulted in his right hand being cut off. He withdrew the bleeding stump, howling as he watched his extremity fall to the ground alongside the head of his weapon.

Corrin planted a kick in the center of Hans's chest, knocking him down. He tried to stand back up, but was only kneeling by the time Corrin was upon him, pointing the Shadow Yato at his neck. Corrin stared him down with burning eyes and uttered only one word: "Beg."

"What?" said Hans.

"Beg," Corrin instructed him again, "'Real pretty-like.'"

"Piss off," Hans grunted.

Corrin nodded. "I hope you enjoyed being a pawn," he told Hans before swiping the Shadow Yato, sending the removed head rolling to the ground, nestled in nicely alongside the hand and the axe head.

Similarly, Xander was now bearing down on Iago. "Now, let's be reasonable, gentlemen," said the sorcerer, clasping his hands together, "Surely you don't want to harm a high-ranking member of the Nohrian military! Think how that would look!"

" _I'm_ the highest-ranking member of the Nohrian military now," Xander replied, "that excuse won't save you anymore, Iago."

"I… Prince Xander!" he pleaded, "I am seated at the right hand of your father! I am a loyal citizen of Nohr! I've stood beside you since you were but a child! Would you really throw away all loyalty to your kingdom, to your own father, in striking me down?!"

"You're a contemptible, cowardly, scheming lout who has tarnished the legacy of the glorious kingdom of Nohr. Cutting you down like the dog you are is the most faithful service I could provide to my father and my homeland."

"Prince Corrin!" Iago shouted, looking over his shoulder, "Please, like your brother, I was misguided by King Garon's mad decrees! My decisions were not my own! I beg you, only spare my life and I will serve you faithfully from now on!"

"Even in death, have you no dignity?" Corrin replied, "Is there no depth to which you will not sink, Iago? You voiced your plans to overthrow the king—I heard it, Xander heard it, there's no escaping it. Unfortunately, you lacked the strength of both body and will to see those designs through to their end, and that can only result in your death. Any real Nohrian would know that."

"Mercy, milord!" Iago shrieked as Siegfried slowly rose over his head, "I beg you, mercy!"

"Just this once," Corrin said, "my capacity for mercy is expended." Corrin shut his eyes and listened to the swing of the metal and the tearing of flesh. He heard the soft thump of Iago's head falling to rest in the grass, slowly accompanied by his torso, facing the other direction."

When it was over, Corrin and Xander were left staring at one another, with Azura slowly walking up to stand between them. "Xander," Corrin began, "I can't thank you enough for coming as quickly as you did. And for stepping in. I know your decision couldn't have been made easily."

"Think on it no more, brother," said Xander, "I had my initial suspicions about you, and about this revolution you were organizing, and I think I can honestly say I held onto those suspicions longer than anyone else around us, painful though it was for me to harbor them. I've since stopped doubting, however. Between your duel against Prince Ryoma yesterday and your battle against Hans and Iago today, seeing you fight on by yourself, and yet, surrounded by so many who serve you so readily… There's no question in my mind anymore, brother. You're no longer the little prince I used to know—you've grown into a full-fledged prince of Nohr, defending the kingdom even from itself. Having watched our father unravel over the past few weeks, and seeing the actions of those in his employ, I have come to the same conclusion as you: as difficult as I find it to admit, King Garon is a danger to Nohr, and he must thereby be deposed."

"I'm glad we can all finally stand on the same side," Corrin replied.

"In truth, me too," said Xander, his face easing into a smile.

"Did you say something about King Garon becoming 'unraveled?'" asked Corrin, "What do you mean, by that, exactly?"

"Let's find Leo, Camilla, and Elise," his elder brother suggested, "we can discuss it… together."


	21. The Long Night

Following their rendezvous, Corrin, Xander, and Azura stepped out of the clearing only to be met with a pair of faces that were unfamiliar to Corrin, although he swore he'd seen them before: there was a silver-haired young man and a girl with light blue hair that slowly turned pink at the end of her pigtails. "Ah," exclaimed Xander, "Laslow, Peri. What are the two of you doing here? Didn't I ask you to stand with the others?"

"Forgive us, Lord Xander," the silver-haired man said, "Peri was worrying about you being alone, and… well, you know how she gets when she's upset. She simply would _not_ stop crying, and then she started spearing people who ran up to her… I was getting a little afraid."

"I just hated to think the bad guys might be ganging up on you, Lord Xander," said Peri, "Isn't that what a good retainer would do?"

The crown prince let out an amused sigh. He turned to his brother and Azura and said, "Corrin, Azura, allow me to introduce my retainers, Laslow and Peri. Laslow is the silver-haired chap, and Peri is the enthusiastic soldier beside him."

Corrin extended his hand. Laslow was the first to take it, saying, "I finally get to meet with the illustrious Lord Corrin, eh? I've heard much of your works—you've quite a legend to live up to. Ah, and I can't forget the lovely Dame Azura, can I? My, my. Words do your beauty no justice, fair lady."

Azura blushed and didn't offer her hand. "Th-Thank you, Laslow. That's, uh, very kind," she said.

Peri grabbed Corrin's hand and swung it vigorously, "Yay! You're Lord Xander's little brother! That means we're all on the same side again, and I can start stabbing without thinking so much!"

Corrin cocked an eyebrow at his brother. Xander gestured distantly with his hand to indicate they would discuss it later. "Thank you both for serving my brother, and now me, I suppose," Corrin said, "If you're willing, we'll need some help quelling the remnants of this battle."

Both retainers nodded and announced their acquiescence.

After several hours of fighting to either vanquish or subdue those Nohrian soldiers still on the side of the fallen Iago and Hans, and several minutes of Elise gleefully twirling around and celebrating the return of her eldest brother and the reunification of her entire family, Corrin, the four Nohrian royals, Azura, Silas, and Scarlet were all gathered at the meeting house in which Scarlet had been discussing her plans with Ryoma—a strange sensation for her, to be sure.

As if nothing had changed from the moment they had separated, everyone took their spots at the table: Xander sat at its head, across from Scarlet; Camilla sat on one side, close to Scarlet, and Elise beside her, with Leo at the far end; Corrin sat close to Xander, Azura at his side and Silas down near Scarlet. Jakob stood in the corner of the room after providing small plates of hors d'oeuvres before each member of the meeting. Elise chewed on a pickled pepper as Xander began to stand up.

"My family," Xander began, "and I use that word to refer to everyone present right now, I want to thank you for granting me the opportunity to join your ranks. I spent a long time clinging to an image of my father as a firm but fair ruler—a man who wasn't well liked by his opponents, but had the conviction to do things right, to see a plan through no matter what. And in my vision, what he had planned was always what was truly just. My eyes have been opened by my dear brother Corrin, however, as I imagine he has opened many of your eyes, too: the man I picture in my head and the King Garon who sits upon the throne of Nohr… they are no longer the same person. What remains is little more than a twisted husk playing at being King Garon, and using disgraceful manners to reach his avaricious goals. I will not allow the legacy of Nohr or my own father to be tarnished in such a way. So, it is with contrition and determination that I now propose we plan for the end of the reign of King Garon."

"Thank you, Xander," said Corrin, also standing, "I know your words mean quite a lot to me, as I'm sure they do to everyone here. I can sympathize with your feelings on your father—in a bizarre sort of way, I still think of him as my father, too. Not like you do—not in the nurturing sense—but in the sense of an authority figure who stands out there, somewhere, silently watching and testing me… I still feel his presence. I assure you, if there were any solution that did not require unseating King Garon, I would pursue it, but I feel that it is simply the only way at this point."

"Well, it can't hurt to ask," said Leo, "Xander, before we go any further, had you conceived of any way to protect our father through this… er, transition of power?"

Xander shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't be possible," he said gravely, "The fact that the king retained filth such as Iago and Hans is already an indelible stain upon his record, his tyrannical treatment of the Ice Tribe and the Kingdom of Nestra another, but more than that, having time to reflect on my personal run-ins with His Majesty of late, I find myself believing that he is well and truly not the same person anymore."

"You mean you think he's an impostor?" Leo interjected.

"That's possible," his eldest brother replied, "but I feel as if I'd know if it were simply someone in disguise. This was something different—too perfect to be a simple act."

Camilla spoke up hesitantly: "I believe I may have seen something similar while I attended that Cyrkensian opera with him. He looked… I don't know how to phrase it. For a moment, his flesh seemed a very sickly color, and I thought he would begin to grow fangs or some such. It was very bizarre."

"That's right," said Corrin, recalling the moment, "he did go into a panic, then, didn't he? It was right after Azura started singing that song of hers."

"You were there?" Xander said, cocking an eyebrow at his brother.

Corrin rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Er, yes. We were rescuing some Wolfskin to ingratiate ourselves to the tribe's leader… the tribe was nearly wiped out by Nohrian soldiers, however."

"Interesting. I never heard mention of that," said Xander, pinching his chin.

Camilla smiled. "I knew I saw a familiar face onstage," she giggled, "You have a lovely singing voice of your own, dear brother."

"I think the more important point is Azura's singing," Leo interrupted them all. "I saw the way your eyes were darting around when Corrin brought it up," he said, pointing at her, "you must know something. How does that song correlate to what's happening to our father?"

"Forgive my reticence," said the blue-haired woman, her eyes scanning the faces around the table, "I feared that none of you would believe me if I told you, but now that you all seem to be agreeing… perhaps you'll understand the truth now. It is as your surmise: the King Garon you see is not the same man you once knew. He is a slave to the will of forces beyond your comprehension. He aims to plunge this world into madness and chaos, which is why he called for the initial invasion of Hoshido… and why he has stopped at nothing to deter Corrin's efforts to restore peace."

"Rubbish," Leo scoffed.

"Did you know of this, Corrin?" Xander asked, looking over.

Corrin shook his head and looked at Azura, saying, "No, I hadn't the slightest. I can't help but feel it would have been useful to share this information beforehand."

"I'm sorry," Azura replied to him, frowning deeply, "It seems so incredible, I was afraid you wouldn't take me seriously."

"Me, the guy who learned he can turn into a dragon roughly a month ago," Corrin laughed, "you think _I_ wouldn't take you seriously?"

"She's right," Leo said, "I don't believe a word of it. Our father may be misguided, but I won't hear this mystical nonsense. What are these 'powers beyond our comprehension,' anyway, if you're so informed?"

"I can't say any more," Azura said apologetically, "This is exactly what I feared would happen… please, if you don't believe me, at least believe in what Corrin has accomplished so far."

Leo folded his arms, saying, "I think I shall."

"It's an… interesting point of consideration," said Xander, cocking his eyebrow at the songstress, "Certainly something we'll keep in mind. For now, I suggest we focus on a plan of approach."

"The plan is simple," said Corrin, "I've gone over it in my head at least a hundred times now. We walk through Windmire, straight to Castle Krakenburg, knock on the king's front door, and present our charges. If he willfully concedes to our terms, we'll have him imprisoned in the castle's dungeon for the remainder of his life. If he rejects us… we'll take the throne from him by force."

"Madness," Leo shouted, slapping his hand on the table, "You'd have us march right into the center of enemy territory, surrounded, and demand that our foe surrender? You make a decent leader, brother, but you're no tactician."

"There's no time or place for cunning strategies in this bout, Leo," Corrin rebutted, "If we wait in hiding, there's a chance we'll be overwhelmed before the public even knows we're around. And we need the public to know: if the people of Nohr don't know that ours is a revolution for peace to return to Nohr, they'll turn their backs on us, and our success or failure will be wholly irrelevant."

"It _is_ important to keep public opinion in mind for such a task as this," said Xander, "Though I share Leo's fear of being overtaken by the royal forces. Even I don't know how many troops King Garon has placed throughout Windmire."

"But our approach is about sending a message more than it is our success in battle," said Corrin, "Even if we fall, people will realize that something is wrong if King Garon's own children come begging him to stop and he has them put to the axe… there aren't many fans of infanticide in this kingdom, brothers. A show of force, of opposition to King Garon's rule is exactly what the citizens of Nohr need to help swing this fight in our favor. So many of them might be on our side with a simple push… a little kindness, a show of respect… Elise helped teach me that."

The little blonde giggled and nodded her head. "For what it's worth," she said, "I'm with Corrin. Xander and Leo, you guys spend so much time leading armies and sleeping in the castle that you forget what it's like to just walk the streets sometimes. When was the last time you went to a fruit vendor in town, bought an apple and said, 'Thanks! Have a lovely day!'?"

They both stared at her.

"Exactly," Elise concluded, nodding, "Showing people that you're people, too, and that you can have compassion for them is what's gonna turn them around. It's why so many people left Nohr's army and joined Corrin."

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't follow Lord Corrin because I thought of him as a friend first and a lord second," said Silas, who had been nervously eating crackers topped with cream cheese until he heard Elise speak.

"And don't forget those soldiers who sought me out in the underground, Leo," Corrin said, "They didn't want to stand with me because I was the strongest… even you were assuring me that it wouldn't be taking advantage of them to add them to my ranks—it was to give them hope, wasn't it?"

"All right, all right," said Leo, rolling his eyes, "you've all made your point abundantly clear. I have no choice but to agree. But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"A direct assault on Castle Krakenburg," Xander said to himself, "It seems utterly mad, but then, revolutions are poor times for orthodoxy, aren't they?"

"If someone had told me back at the beginning of all this that I wasn't going to have to do battle against any of my siblings, I'd have thought they were mad," said Corrin, "Life is funny that way."

"I have to say, on a personal level, you've made me incredibly proud, Corrin," Xander told him, beaming, "You have a plan, you're resolute, you're forceful, and you won't take no for an answer. You're willing to achieve your ends no matter what pains you have to endure to reach them, like a true black-blooded Nohrian. I think… I think my father would have been proud of you, too."

"Thank you, Xander," Corrin replied, "Your support means everything to me. Same goes for everyone who's stood behind me to this point."

"We leave at dawn tomorrow," Xander decided, "May the Dark Dragon be with us all. This meeting is adjourned."

With that, the siblings, Azura, Silas, and Scarlet stood, a few embraced one another, and they all began to make their way out of the command building.

[…]

Xander placed Siegfried down on the table. The wood seemed to bend slightly at the weight of the weapon, despite its being so delicately placed. The prince sighed and walked over to the door to the bedroom, shutting it, and then came and sat back down on the edge of the bed. Across from him, Laslow sat patiently, back straight, in a chair that was turned around from its original position, facing a writing desk.

"Milord isn't about to disrobe, is he?" Laslow said nervously.

Xander laughed. "No," said the crown prince, "I wanted your counsel on a private matter, old friend. That's all. You're a very amusing fellow, Laslow—you can find ways to make anyone crack a smile, even me."

"I have been told it's a talent of mine," his retainer replied, puffing out his chest a little, "They don't call me Ladykiller Laslow for nothing."

"Who calls you that?" asked Xander.

"So," Laslow said after a pause, "what's this matter for which milord seeks his humble servant's counsel?"

"Do you think I'm ready to lead a nation, Laslow?" asked the prince.

His retainer started, "Hum! That's a bit sudden. Why do you ask?"

"Don't be daft. If we succeed, and my father is dethroned, I'll have to take up the crown. I've been preparing for this day for quite some time, but I never thought it'd come this soon," Xander explained.

"Let me clarify," Laslow said, "why are you asking _me_? How should I know if you're ready to lead a nation?"

"Perhaps I've gone mad, Laslow, but I've always sensed that you had a sort of intuition for leadership. That's why I didn't mind you going off with Peri and leading the charge sometimes: you manage to keep situations in check and soldiers protected. For a mercenary, you seem like you've been leading large-scale battles all your life."

"Milord is too kind. My outfit was simply a very prolific one, I suppose. 'Lead or be led,' as they say."

"First time I've heard it."

"R-Really? Huh. Fancy that."

"You've never described your outfit before… what is it like? Are there many members? Do you have a commander of sorts? Are your fights coordinated at times?"

"Well… there aren't that many. Less than a hundred, altogether. We did have a captain, and he was a bit of a taskmaster, but he was a trustworthy sort. Kind of man you'd give your life for. He made certain that no one fought in a battle they didn't want to fight, either."

"He sounds quite impressive. I think I should like to meet him someday."

"I'd like to see that, too. It's unlikely, I'm afraid."

"Why's that?"

"Er… he's somewhat reclusive. A bit stubborn, you know. Doesn't like to go too far from home."

"Well, then I'll just have to come to him."

"Maybe one day, certainly."

"Do you recall that conversation we had not so long ago? The one about my previous retainers?"

"How could I forget, milord?"

"And do you remember what you mentioned a bit before that, about birthmarks?"

"Is this going somewhere?"

"You're not quite as subtle as you think, Laslow," said Xander, "I'm beginning to dislike that name, knowing that it's a fabrication."

"Milord's attempts at humor are a bit lacking, I'm afraid," Laslow turned his head agitatedly.

"I've been studying you a bit," the prince went on, "you, Selena, and Odin, as you all seemed to appear within short order of one another. I asked Leo, and he reported to me that Odin bears a strange mark on his arm that he goes to some pain to conceal. Leo thought it was a scar of some ill-fated battle and didn't desire to pry. Any comment on that?"

"I had no idea," said Laslow, "cheerful old Odin, who would have guessed?"

"Your eyes betray you, friend," Xander said, smiling at his retainer.

Laslow smirked. He leaned back in the chair and smiled, "So, what'll it be? Will you dismiss me for deceiving you? Do you think me a spy of some sort?"

"Not at all," replied Xander, "as I said, I've grown quite fond of you. And while I don't know why you did all that you've done, I'm sure it's a good reason. I think, at least, I finally know why I felt this strange kinship with you from the moment we crossed blades. And why you came so close to besting me that day."

"If there's nothing further," Laslow said, standing up, "I need to make some preparations."

"Of course," Xander said, nodding as his retainer opened the door.

"Morgan."

"Hm?"

"The good reason why I'm doing this… her name is Morgan."

[…]

Azura didn't mean to walk quite so quickly, but her legs were pumping like she was in a race. She didn't know what compelled her to hurry along, but she went with the motion and just tried to get back to where she had been staying as quickly as she could. Suddenly, she felt a tug at her wrist from behind that halted her. Without thinking, she shrieked as she whipped around.

"Easy!" a scowling Corrin admonished her, "You'll give someone the wrong idea. I just want to speak to you."

"You might have started by walking in front of me and looking me in the eyes," she replied, pouting a bit herself.

"A little hard to do when you race out of the building like that," he replied, letting go of her, "What was all that about King Garon being possessed? Why did you never mention anything like that before?"

"Like I said, I was worried you wouldn't believe me," she said, frowning, "What more do you want from me?"

"I want you to trust me, Azura," he replied, "We've been walking side by side this whole time, and yet you've never felt comfortable enough to tell me even a little about yourself until last night. Now there's all this about 'forces beyond our comprehension?' You have to tell me the meaning of all this, Azura."

Her lips quivered, and she answered, "I can't. I care too much about you and everyone else here to burden you with all that. What I know can only hurt you, do you understand?"

"I'd rather it hurt me than watch you torture yourself forever," the prince replied. Azura's breathing quickened. He offered his hand to her, saying, "Let me help you. Please."

"Corrin," she said, her voice cracking, "What you're doing… it's only hurting me more, now. Maybe… maybe when this is all over… maybe then we can talk. But until we do what needs to be done, I can't risk… I can't…"

"What could put me at any more risk than the situation I'm in right now?"

"That's not it. I can't risk… missing you."

Corrin was silent. Dark clouds were amassing overhead and blocking out the stars. A gentle rain began to fall on both their heads. Silently, Azura withdrew into the building several feet ahead of them. Corrin stayed still and let the rain wet his hair.


	22. The Empty King

Corrin tried to concentrate on moving forward, on the rain, on the sounds of his feet lightly brushing the grass, and of the cacophony of armor clinking that made it seem like there was a tornado following. He tried to concentrate on the monotony of those sensations as he kept walking, but he couldn't stay the realization much longer. A hole in the ground glowed at him not far away, like a malicious eye, cloaked in the jagged shadows of a surrounding city: Windmire was right in front of him. The capital city he'd longed to live in while he spent his quiet days in the fortress, now it all seemed bathed in an angry, foreboding light. He imagined he could see shadows moving around in it—masses moving silently along the streets, all coalescing into one onyx-black figure that was standing against him. The winds were still getting colder, and they were blowing at his face. The prince shuddered.

"I know it's imposing, but don't falter now, brother," Xander advised him without looking down. His voice had returned to its usual airy authority, and lacked any of the familial warmth it had held just hours ago.

Even Camilla was uncharacteristically quiet. She seemed, for once, not to notice her brother's concern and looked on blankly as her wyvern slowly plodded forward, keeping pace with the rest of the group.

"Whatever happens, we're here with you until the end," said Silas, who had emerged from behind Corrin to place his hand on his lord's shoulder, "all of us." The young knight nodded to Felicia, Flora, Jakob, and Kaze, who had also appeared to surround their lord.

"It's a little claustrophobic this way, guys," Corrin said, his voice cracking when he tried to inject it with humor.

"We're your retainers, milord," said Jakob, "We may not be much good in a fight—although I think I can handle myself quite well—but our principal occupation is to keep you safe. In that regard, we shall not fail. Milord's kindhearted, just nature must surely prevail, and I'd like to see the man who tries to stop it."

"That's a little much," said Corrin.

Flora laughed. "Jakob's always had a flair for the dramatic, but his sentiment is still good: you've taken care of us, milord. More than any master should his servants, so it's about time we showed you the loyalty you've earned."

"Yeah, the Ice Tribe deserves a few good shots for what King Garon did to us, anyway," said Felicia.

"Milord spared my life when I was… especially undeserving," Kaze added, "I have not since had any cause to doubt the truth and justice of your path. As Lady Mikoto's heir, and as an honorable leader of your countrymen, I would follow you anywhere, Lord Corrin—even into the pits of hell itself, as it seems we are about to tread."

"Really," Corrin said, distancing himself from them, "this is all way too much. I'm glad to have helped all of you, you're good people, but I don't deserve this level of praise. I haven't earned it. I've put people through a lot of pain, too, and I won't know if it was worthwhile until this is all over, so, please, I'm asking you, reserve your words. Let's speak of loyalty and honor… after."

With frowning faces, the retainers agreed and remained silent. Leo and Elise both stole a glance at their brother, but said nothing and went back to looking straight ahead, pretending not to be interested in what was unfolding.

As they approached the gate, without a word, Azura pushed past a few of Corrin's retainers and stood beside him. She didn't look at him, either, but he could almost feel her presence projecting himself onto her.

At last, they reached the massive gates of Windmire: an enormous iron door—about forty times taller than Corrin, and many times wider—obstructed them. The door was wrought of black iron that shimmered in the dim moonlight and glistened as it was wet with rain. It looked as if it would freeze solid anything that touched it. At the top of this imposing structure, connected to the yellow walls that encompassed it, were a pair of equally remarkable gears that pulled long, thin, shining cables that would allow the impossibly heavy structure to be moved. Two operators stood atop the walls, each assigned to one of these pulleys. They were staring down at the small army that had amassed around their walls, and one of them called out, "Hold, strangers! What do you mean, bringing so many before the capital of Nohr, Windmire?"

Xander was the first to reply, projecting his voice upward. "Do you not recognize me?" he asked, "I am Crown Prince Xander of Nohr, here with my brothers and sisters. I've come for an audience with His Highness!"

"I received no notification of any of the royal family having an audience with King Garon today," the operator replied.

"It wasn't previously arranged," Xander replied, "But I'll be happy to arrange your hanging if I have to order you to open this door for your prince!"

"Are all those people behind you looking for an audience, too?" the other operator shouted down, "Your mission doesn't look particularly peaceful, 'prince.'"

"Scoundrels!" Xander barked at them.

"Xander, a moment," said Corrin, interrupting him, "Gentlemen, these men are all guests of Nohr—distinguished servicemen who have come to receive a reward from the king for their dutiful service. They are exemplars to those who serve the crown, and you do us all a great disservice in denying them entry."

"You look familiar, lad," said the first operator, "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

"I know 'im," said the second operator, pointing at Corrin, "Don'cha remember? The posters. That's _him_!"

"You think that's Prince Corrin?" his coworker replied.

"Strewth! I'd recognize that look anywhere," said the second operator.

"Maybe you're right," said the first, rubbing his chin, "Well, tell us, lad: are you Prince Corrin of Nohr?"

"Corrin," Leo said through his teeth, "Don't. They'll have our heads. Make something up, quickly!"

Corrin inhaled deeply and looked up at the operator. "Yes," he said loudly, "I am Prince Corrin of Nohr. And what will you do now, knowing that?"

"I'll be damned," said the operator, "can you believe it, Ben?"

"Bugger me," the second operator replied, "get this damn fool gate open—the Moonlight Prince is come!"

The Nohrian royal family all watched with mouths practically agape as the door was slowly lifted and they began to walk through. "What did they call me?" Corrin managed to ask, looking around as they entered the walls.

"Moonlight Prince," Camilla repeated as if it were a curse. They suddenly jumped as a bell began to ring. People began flooding from the brown and black buildings, doused in teal light, that covered the landscape. Rain fell steadily on their heads, but none seemed to notice, as they wore smiling faces as they rushed up to meet Corrin, gathering in a concave arch before his group as the last soldiers wandered in and the gate was lowered.

A woman came forward, dressed in a simple white blouse and a dark skirt that flowed to the ground. Her eyes were deep green and filled with mirth. "Be welcome, Moonlight Prince!" she curtseyed before Corrin. Rows of people behind her bowed and repeated, "Be welcome!"

"I'm sorry," Corrin said to her, "I don't really understand what's going on right now. Why are you all calling me that?"

"That's what the revolutionaries call you, sir," said the woman.

"Revolutionaries?" Xander repeated, " _We're_ the revolutionaries."

"You are, sir," the woman said gladly, "but I mean the revolutionaries of Windmire. Those who've heard of your exploits, but weren't able to join you. Your message… it has spread far, milord. Those soldiers you spared and saved in the battles against the Ice Tribe, at Port Dia, in Nestra, those who served Generals Iago and Hans, even some Wolfskin folks… all of them have returned to Windmire and the other cities of Nohr with news of your revolt against King Garon. We, the common folk of Windmire, wish to show you our support, too."

"I was there, in the slums of Nohr, when you so boldly announced your presence, my prince!" exclaimed a man from the mob behind the woman, "I couldn't believe it when I learned someone was standing against the king, and I was even more shocked to find that it was a member of the royal family!"

"My son was one of the soldiers assigned to General Iago's detail," said another woman in the crowd, "He wrote me and told me how you saved him and his friends, and how you stopped that traitorous snake! Thank you for sparing my poor boy's life!"

A little boy came out the crowd, making a beeline for one of the many Nohrian soldiers behind Corrin. He leapt into the man's arms and shouted, "Big brother!" The soldier told him to calm down. "Er, this is my little brother," the man explained, "I signed on with Nohr's army to feed him and my sick mama… Once you came along, though, I realized I didn't have to, and that I didn't want to n'more."

"I wasn't aware your influence had grown so much," Xander said to his brother.

"Neither was I," Corrin replied.

"Unfortunately," the woman at the front of the crowd said, "getting to King Garon himself will still be a difficult task. When His Highness realized how many of his citizens were being converted by your message, he went positively mad, taking the strongest of his royal guard and all who remained loyal to him and shutting himself away in the final set of walls that surround Castle Krakenburg. Now that you're here, however… the people of Windmire would like to help you overtake that fortress of villainy."

Corrin nodded. "Of course," he said, "we will gratefully accept the assistance of the good people of Nohr. Do you lead them, good lady?"

"Oh, no," she said bashfully, "We don't really have a _leader_ , per se… we were waiting for you to return. I simply wanted to, er, make my presence known, you know. In case, er, milord was… ahem… looking for… suitors."

Corrin started. "I, uh, hardly think now's the time for such things," he stammered, "flattered as I am. Let's concern ourselves with King Garon for the moment, eh?"

"Of course," she replied, nodding, slapping herself lightly as she walked back into the group. The people ignored her and continued watching Corrin with expectant eyes.

"Well," said Xander, "go on."

Corrin looked at him, "What?"

"They're looking to you as a leader," his brother replied, "So, go on—lead."

"Right," said the prince, swallowing. He turned back to the crowd and tried to make his voice as loud as his lungs could bear. "People of Windmire!" he said, "Come with us, help us overcome the walls leading to Castle Krakenburg, and we will make King Garon answer for his crimes!"

The crowd cheered loudly and agreed. Corrin walked down the streets among them somewhat uneasily, seeing the crowd gradually swell as they walked down Windmire's main thoroughfare. Windows and doors were thrown open as more people, gray-faced but smiling, dressed in frayed rags or plain clothes poured out of their homes to join the crowd, or otherwise simply watched with glowing admiration as the procession continued. As Corrin and his followers approached the second gate, it was already being lifted, and more shouts and rings from bells filled the air as another massive group pooled in the center of the circular courtyard that lay before the final set of gates leading toward Castle Krakenburg. As they all amassed into an undulating sea of faces and colors, they directed themselves toward the gate, the chatter between people quickly becoming deafening.

When they stood before the gate, just as before, two operators stood upon the turrets beside it, guarding the mechanisms beside them. The operators shuddered and felt their bodies tense as they watched the mass of bodies slowly press itself against the gate. The crowd quickly began shouting for the men to raise the gate and let them in, but the men simply stepped back into their turrets to the point where they were barely visible and said nothing in reply to the shouts of the mob.

"Back to square one," Corrin said, sighing, "Xander, is there any way we can get by this gate?"

"No, Windmire is designed to be impregnable without kingly authority—the gates isolate the main roads, and the walls are the thickest I've ever seen, assembled by Nohrian mages to make even powerful magical attacks useless," the crown prince replied, "but that doesn't mean we can't raise the gate ourselves."

"Sounds like you have a plan," said Corrin.

"Maybe," Xander agreed, "Mostly, I'm just using my eyes."

Corrin turned to see what his brother was looking at and found that it was Camilla, waving off a group of men who were becoming a bit too attached to her, following very close behind, although they were kept at bay by her wyvern, who was constantly emitting a low growl. Selena and Beruka also tried to shove the drooling hordes out of the way.

"Oh!" Corrin exclaimed, "but do you suppose they'll have countermeasures?"

"I know they do," Xander answered, "but I also know that Camilla knows that. And I have the utmost faith in her."

"It's risky, but it's just the sort of thing we need," Corrin decided, "All right. Hey, Camilla!"

She turned to face him, a gentle smile having returned to her face. "What is it, darling?" she called back.

"We need to get that gate open. Would you be amenable to giving me a little lift?" asked the prince.

"Ah, I see your game," Camilla said, "All right, dear, but do hold on tight. I wouldn't want you slipping."

He nodded and hopped on the wyvern's back and, with a pat on the head and a shout from Camilla, the beast flapped its wings, scattering a few of the eldest princess's new adoring fans, and took to the air, darting toward the gate. "We'll need to get in close," Corrin said over his sister's shoulder.

"Don't worry," she replied, "I know _just_ what you need, dearie." Corrin cocked an eyebrow, but let her continue. The beast slowed itself, beating its wings backwards and nearly throwing Corrin loose, although he managed to hold tightly to the saddle behind his sister. The rush of wind from the wyvern's wings knocked the operator before them into the back wall of his turret. Camilla smiled wickedly as she pulled a tome out from a saddlebag at her side. "You've been _naughty_ ," she told the operator, lobbing a ball of orange flames at him. He yelped and groaned as the fire blasted him back to the wall. An arrow sailed between Corrin and Camilla's heads as the fire subsided. "Your turn, dear brother," Camilla said, shuffling to one side of the saddle to give her brother space. Corrin stood uneasily and ran along the back of the beast, leaping, much to its dismay, from its snout and reaching for the wall of the turret, which he managed to seize.

Camilla flew off toward the other tower, arrows whizzing near her while she spun and looped around the structure. Corrin pulled himself up from the wall, sparing only a moment to catch his breath, and saw the gate's other operator drawing another arrow and launching it out into the open air. The prince sprinted along the wall and across the bridge that covered the top of the gate, hopped down into the turret at the other end, and gave the other operator one quick slash with his Shadow Yato. The man slumped over, and Corrin called out to his eldest sister.

Moments later, her wyvern landed with a tremendous thud and she hopped off lithely, sauntering into the turret and applauding Corrin for his work. "I feel so blessed to have watched your battle instincts mature. You really have improved, you know?" she said.

"It wasn't all me," the prince replied, "We did it together, didn't we?"

"We most certainly did," she said appreciatively, wrapping the prince in a hug. When she let go, she added, "Now, as much as I'd like to go on enjoying this moment, we have some work to do, don't we? Surely you wouldn't make your poor sister do all the heavy lifting."

"Not at all," he agreed, and began sprinting back to the first turret, where he grabbed the pulley mechanism and began turning it with all his might—and it did take considerable might, as he could just barely complete a single revolution every time. He imagined even Xander would have trouble moving something so resistant. However, the pair's efforts paid off, as the gate began to rise off the streets and gave those on the ground a view into the red glow of the pit that led into Castle Krakenburg, where every glowing window appeared like an eye, projecting menace at them for daring to enter. As Corrin's group and the citizens of Windmire poured in, Xander directed several of them to ascend the ladders on the other side of the wall that led into the turrets above. They climbed them single-file and took over the arduous task of continuing to spin the pulleys for Corrin and Camilla. As more came up the ladders, Camilla returned to her wyvern, spurred the creature into flight again, and came abreast of the reverse side of the gate, allowing Corrin to hop on and then descending back to street level.

Corrin retook his position at the head of the line and directed everyone forward toward the pit housing Castle Krakenburg, but he was halted by a sudden cry from Leo: "Corrin, look! The balconies!"

The prince understood his brother's advisory quickly: the windows that seemed to glow with menace hid behind them real menace, as mages and archers stood, lying in wait for the group to descend into the hellish pit. Corrin could easily ride down with Camilla again, but even that would be risky, and he needed the rest of his companions to join him to stand any chance against King Garon. "Damn," Corrin cursed, "What'll we do?"

"I think I have a solution," Leo replied, "but it'll require your very diligent cooperation, brother. Would you be so kind?"

"I'm all ears," Corrin said, nodding.

"Good. I'm going to ride down this flight of stairs to the first echelon—there'll be guards there, no doubt. If you can dispose of them, I can shatter the window and use Brynhildr to cover the remaining windows. And from there, I think we can get some convenient strategic position, if you take my meaning. It's going to take some time and effort, though…"

"Not a problem," his brother said, "I know just what you're saying. I'll take care of it."

"You won't be going down there alone," added Xander, coming between them and placing his hands on each of his brothers' shoulders. They thanked him and headed down into the halls of the castle's surrounding structures. The Shadow Yato and Siegfried shone and smoked purple, black, and red as Corrin and Xander stormed down the stairs, shouting. Royal guards came forward, holding weapons over their heads, but they were flung aside as the two swung their weapons, each covering the other.

As the first room cleared out, Leo balled the power of his tome in his fist and punched through the glass that stood between the room and the space around it. He took a step back and cast the spell, and slowly, long, black vines began to creep out from the destroyed window and stretch down the sides of the surrounding wall. "It won't be enough to do it once!" Leo shouted at his brothers, "I'll have to hit every window on this top ring, at least!"

"We're on it!" Corrin shouted back. He and Xander continued into the next rooms, watching frightened nobles duck into corridors as knights marched toward the pair with lances ready. Xander swatted one of the weapons away and aimed Siegfried as a forceful blast of darkness shot through the knight holding it. Corrin leapt into the air, extended his arm, and transformed it into a fine point, a bit like a talon, that stuck into the small gap in his foe's armor near the throat. Not losing his momentum, Corrin flung his arm back and effectively pole-vaulted over the enemy, leaving even Xander to gawk for the briefest of moments. The crown prince stayed close behind his brother as they tore through each room of the structure as quickly as they could.

Leo went on smashing holes in each of the windows and letting Brynhildr's vines drop down and cover the windows below them. A few of the mages and archers on the opposite end of the ring attempted to fire at him, but the distance meant their attacks were easy to anticipate and dodge, and completely shattering the window Leo was crouched behind would only lead to the vines growing more quickly to support themselves on the black walls around them. In the middle of his work, Leo flicked an ember that shone blue near the bottom of the stairwell he and his brothers had entered through, giving the all-clear. When he did so, the rest of their group hurried down and began filling the rooms.

The process went on, growing steadily faster as Corrin and Xander worked their way through the rooms with less and less resistance and Leo received the additional magical power of his sisters and Odin, as well as Azura's refreshing song to speed his work along. More of Corrin's allies and the citizens of Windmire poured into the chambers and filled them up until Corrin and Xander had finally made their way around the vast structure. Leo had caught up to them, thanks to the aid he was receiving, and when the last set of vines had reached the bridge that led into the castle, he picked up a different tome and shot a brilliant ball of flame into the air. With this signal, the troops broke the windows down completely, grabbed hold of the vines, and began to slide their way down toward the bridge, or to platforms that connected to it. They had done it—the entire city of Windmire plus a few more troops were now lowering themselves directly onto Castle Krakenburg.

As Corrin leapt down from the vine and onto the bridge, Xander and Leo shortly behind him, he continued toward the castle's doors, jogging as the breath seemed to be leaving his lungs, but aware that failing to move quickly could mean the end of him. As the prince ran, the doors of the castle parted, and a row of mages emerged from behind them. Corrin tried to grind himself to a halt and find somewhere to duck for cover, but the bridge was barren, leaving him completely exposed. A volley of fireballs ripped across the short distance and scorched the prince, sending him rocketing back into the group gathering behind him and burning and scratching his flesh as he fell back. He came to rest face-down before them. "Corrin!" Leo shouted. He raised Brynhildr and ensnared the mages as quickly as he could, tightening his fist so hard it seemed that the tendons in his hand would rip, making the mages choke.

Xander cursed. "We need… help! Someone, quickly, Corrin's…!" he struggled to find the words.

"My brother's not done for yet!" said Elise, coming to her brother's side with her staff. She raised the implement and let it glow brightly. "Come on, big brother," she encouraged, "Up and at 'em! You gotta keep your little sister safe, right?"

"That I do," Corrin replied, rising. He wiped ash from his forehead and rubbed at the burns as they gradually receded, although they didn't disappear completely. He looked at Xander and said, "Let's not despair just yet, we have to keep fighting—we're almost there, after all." Xander nodded to agree, having nothing to say, and Corrin pulled his little sister close and patted her head, "Here's someone who knows how to keep going. A real black-blooded Nohrian woman who makes for a fine princess."

She giggled at the praise. "Thanks, Corrin," she said, "let's get in there and get this over with already!"

"Thatta girl," said her older brother. He continued ahead.

While Leo had the mages ensnared, Xander slowly and deliberately shot bursts of magic from his blade at each of them, sending them flying back into the castle to lie sprawled on their backs for everyone to see. Corrin resumed his position at the forefront of the group, and all five members of the Nohrian royal family, as well as Azura, sprinted headlong past the castle's vestibule and into the throne room.

The mood upon entering the throne room changed quite immediately, as if all the energy that had previously hung in the air, spurring on the Nohrian royals, had quite suddenly been sucked out, leaving a cold void in its wake. Their sprinting slowed to jogging and then to slow walking as they approached the throne. Suddenly, the doors to the chamber swung shut, and all of the siblings turned their heads at the noise. They all grimaced as they heard the sounds of battle ringing out from the vestibule: those that had followed them would be fighting the strongest and most devoted soldiers in all of Nohr's remaining army, and now they would have no way to aid them.

King Garon quickly rose from the throne, smiling broadly. "My children," he said grandly, "I'm so glad you all made it back to me… faithful Xander, cunning Camilla, wise Leo, sprightly Elise… and of course, the staunch and determined Prince Corrin. Ah… and I spy another face I haven't seen in many long years… Princess Azura, wasn't it?"

"I have nothing to say to you," Azura told him, "no words can adequately express my displeasure at being forced to see you again. I promise you a swift death and nothing more."

"Just a moment," Corrin said, raising his hand, "King Garon… the man I once thought to call 'Father.' Surely you know that I no longer think of you in that regard, but I am an honest and civil man whose only goal is to ensure the peace and security of this great nation which I have come to love thanks to the wonderful affection given to me by my siblings. Because I love this country so much, I'm asking you once, and only once, to step down and abdicate your throne to Xander. Do this, and no harm will come to you—you'll simply be imprisoned, and you'll have every chance to see your children again."

"And what, precisely, makes you think I'll agree to your terms, Prince Corrin?" the king replied.

"As a member of the Nohrian royal family, I'm accusing you of high treason against the crown for the attempted murder of and compliance in the attempted murder of multiple members of the Nohrian royal family, and for actions that generally degraded the honor of our kingdom," said Corrin, "You are no longer befitting the crown of the Nohrian king, and hundreds if not thousands of people just outside your doors agree with me."

"You think I care a whit what those people think?" said King Garon, laughing, "They're commoners! Human refuse! _I_ am their ruler! _I_ control them! All mere mortals shall bow before _my_ authority! I will be known as the king who conquered the world! All things belong to me—I am the master of all things material! I am…! I am…!"

"What folly is this?" Leo spoke up, "Father, what sort of incessant gibberish are you spouting? What about the people of Nohr? Your countrymen, the people you serve, what of them?"

"Serve? _Serve_? I serve… no one!" the king growled in reply.

"Have you gone mad?" Camilla asked, "Have you really no sense left about you, father?"

The king suddenly lurched forward, causing all of the Nohrian royals to double back. He grunted loudly, clutching his stomach. "My children," he said innocently, almost affably, as if he had forgotten the topic of conversation, "Why… why do you scowl at me so? How have I wronged you?"

"You tried to have them killed!" Corrin said, jabbing his finger at the king.

"No," Garon answered, "I didn't. That's not true. I… I would never."

"You knew what was going to happen with that sword," said Corrin, "You knew what I did with the Wolfskin, you knew what could've happened to Leo and Xander by sending them against Takumi—and you knew that I'd help them, too—you knew that you were sending Xander away from the Hoshidan ambush, and you knew that Iago and Hans were going to try to overrun that town while we slept… You knew about all of this, and you tried to kill us all. It's plain as day."

"And what proof can you offer of these charges?" the king said more arrogantly, his disposition reversed.

"No other Nohrian could have known about my deal with the Wolfskin," Corrin replied, "and you were the first one to be informed about Hoshidan invasions—no one would've reported that Ryoma was leading the charge on Windmire if he was nowhere to be found. Not to mention, Hans and Iago receive their orders directly from you."

"Speculation," the king said, dismissively waving his hand, "you do a poor job of representing a case, Prince Corrin. I hope you never planned to work in Nohr's legal world."

"That's enough," said Azura, "You want proof? I've waited long enough—here's your proof!"

She stretched out her arms and began to sing that now all-too-familiar melody, letting her pendant rise and glow: _You are the ocean's gray waves_ …

The king recoiled a bit as the song went on, his face twisting. He groaned, "Ch-Children! Please, silence that wretched voice! Ah, how it pains me!"

"Father?" Xander muttered, staring perplexedly at the king, "This song… how can it hurt you? It does little more than please the ears."

"No!" he shouted angrily, "It is a monstrous song, made to pierce the king's ears—ah, how I curse it!"

Leo looked back at the singer as she continued. "Azura?" he asked, creasing his brow at her.

 _Sing with me a song of conquest and fate, the black pillar cracks beneath its weight. Night breaks through the day, hard as a stone, lost in thoughts all alone_. She continued to sing, watching unperturbed as the king grasped at his chest more and began to sweat.

"You must stop her!" King Garon begged, "Have you no sympathy for your father?!"

 _You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach. Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time. The path is yours to climb. You are the ocean's gray waves…_

"Something about that song," Corrin remarked, "it feels… familiar, like I can hear myself singing it, even though I don't know the lyrics."

King Garon writhed more, and Xander, Leo, Camilla and Elise had come to his side, treating him as their ailing father once more. "Father, really," Xander pleaded, "what's the matter with you? Why are you behaving like this? Are you under a spell of some kind?"

"Could this really have been Azura's objective?" Leo said, taking a step back, "Have we been played for fools?"

Azura went on singing the melody, looking with a frown at the other Nohrian royals who were beginning to look back at her.

"Could she…?" Camilla began, balling her fists, "If, after the discussion we had, she's really gone and played us against him… I will rend the flesh from her bones myself!"

"No!" Corrin shouted, standing beside the blue-haired songstress, "I believe in her, and if you're all my brothers and sisters, you should believe in her, too! We came this far by trusting in one another, and I refuse to let it end with us coming to blows!"

"Little prince," Xander said, frowning, "perhaps… we've made a mistake. Perhaps Father needs help… either way, whatever your friend is doing, it isn't helping. Tell her to stop, and come help us take care of our father."

"Xander, don't be so easily fooled!" Corrin pleaded.

"I think you're the one who's been fooled this whole time," Leo said, "and us by extension. I've seen the way you look at that girl—you're totally in her thrall. She has you believing any nonsense you tell her, and she almost got us, too!"

Corrin continued to search his siblings' eyes, begging, "Elise, Camilla, can't you see reason? Help me, help your brothers understand!"

Camilla didn't respond, but looked disdainfully at Azura. Elise looked at her elder sister's face and then frowned at her brother, tucking her hands in.

"Corrin," Xander said, authoritatively this time, "Step away from her. If you won't stop her… I'll have to do as a proper Nohrian would and do it myself."

"No," his brother said defiantly, "deposing King Garon was always my objective, with or without your cooperation." He stood in front of Azura. "But… I could never harm my dear brothers and sisters, so… if you've suddenly decided that I'm wrong, well… I'll leave it to you to make me stand down," he concluded. As he gave this statement, he placed the Shadow Yato on the floor and held out his hands.

"What?" Xander said with shock, "You… you'd just lay down your arms?"

"I submit myself to the judgment of the only man I consider worthy to be called the king of Nohr," Corrin answered, "my beloved eldest brother. If I'm wrong, I'm a threat to Nohr, and you must end my life, armed or not, isn't that so?"

"Pick… Pick up your blade, you damn fool," Xander told him. Corrin didn't move. "I said pick it up!" the crown prince repeated. His brother remained still.

Suddenly, the king launched himself from his throne and whipped his axe forward: it embedded itself directly into Corrin's chest. "GOT YOU!" the king exclaimed.

The Nohrian royals looked on in stunned silence. Azura stopped her singing and shrieked. "No! No!" she cried, "Oh, gods, Corrin, why?! Why did you drop the blade?! Please… no… I can't bear this!"

The king withdrew his axe and took a step back, as if to admire his handiwork. Corrin fell limply to the floor, blood running out of his stomach in long streams.

"Elise, your staff, quickly!" Xander commanded her.

"Father, what have you done?" Leo shouted, glaring at the king.

"The holder of the Yato is fallen!" the king exclaimed, "I am invincible! I am triumphant! All things… belong to me!" He began to laugh maniacally.

Elise ran toward her brother, staff at the ready, but she was suddenly swatted aside: the king's axe cut through her side, knocking her to the floor.

"Elise!" Camilla shrieked. She ran over to scoop up her fallen sister.

Azura knelt at Corrin's side, trying to lift him. "It's my fault," she murmured, "I could have prevented it… I failed… this curse… I can bear it no longer. I'd rather have my consciousness disappear than be the reason for your death. I did everything I could to avoid this fate: I told myself I couldn't let my feelings grow, but here I am, and now… I've gone and let my worst fears be realized."

"You… creature," Xander snarled, getting the king's attention, "Whatever you are… you are not my father… you're a coward, striking an unarmed boy and girl—your own children, no less! I'll have your miserable head!"

"Children…" the king repeated as if he failed to understand the word, "I am… eternity. I am… invincible. I am… King Garon."

Xander started as he realized the king's face was gradually slackening. Soon, the skin seemed to disappear, and what remained was an undulating, drippy, cerulean mass with sable lights where the eyes used to sit. A skeletal face remained, coated in the strange substance, which Xander now noticed was oozing along all of the figure's extremities. "You…" said the crown prince, "What kind of abomination are you?"

The creature replied, "I am… victory. I am… triumph. I am… conquest."

"You're going to pay for what you did," Leo said, casting from Brynhildr. Before he could complete the motion, however, the creature's arm extended and knocked him to the floor with its axe, cutting his side like it had done to Elise.

"Die, monster!" Xander swung Siegfried at the abomination.

It swung its axe and matched the sword's force, staying the attack. It used its other arm to slam into Xander's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and dropping him to the ground. Surveying its work, the creature turned to face Azura. "Song…" it groaned, "Destroy the… song!"

"Go on," Azura said, lowering her head, "Kill me. I've failed… you win. I hope you enjoy your world of oblivion."

"Don't… lose… hope, Azura," a voice below her rasped. She looked down and was stunned to see Corrin rising from her lap. He knelt on the castle floor, breathing slowly and deeply. The creature that had replaced King Garon looked at him and growled. It moved to swing its axe once more, but Corrin extended his arm and watched it transform into a gaping maw that bit down on the arm that was swinging at him, holding it in place. He rose, picking up the Shadow Yato. The blood had stopped flowing around his wound, although the red streak remained. He took another deep breath, watching the monster's perplexed reaction to his transformation. "Don't ever lose hope," the prince reiterated, "There's always another way. Even when things seem at their darkest, when there's nothing left to hold onto, when you feel you can't go on even a moment longer… that's when you need to hope the most—that's what I've learned in my brief revolution." The prince raised his blade, saying "If you will it enough, anything can happen!" As he said as much, he swung the blade down, and it severed the monster's arm, which dropped to the floor, wriggling, and then vanished in a cloud of smoke. Xander had risen in time to watch his brother raise the blade once more. "You just have to be willing to fight!" Corrin said, swinging and slicing off the monster's other arm. He walked forward at the groaning creature and, eyes wild, began rapidly stabbing his blade into the creature's midsection. "Never stop fighting!" he shouted as he stabbed the creature, "Never! Never! Nothing dies but the will to go on living!"

Azura stared on in shock as the blood-soaked prince stood before the beast as it howled, doubling back and nearly collapsing into a puddle. He lined his Shadow Yato up with its head. Xander stood beside his brother and placed his hand on the prince's arm, causing him to lower his sword slightly. Xander held out Siegfried and pointed it at the monster's chest.

"Do you hear that, beast?" said the crown prince, "That is the very spirit of Nohr speaking. Whatever you are, you're a coward and a disgrace, and I won't allow you to sully my father's honor any longer."

"That goes double for me," Leo said, joining them and holding up Brynhildr, "I don't know what kind of cretin would use the guise of family to emotionally manipulate people, but I can tell you that I _don't_ take kindly to being _toyed with_. I'm going to make you regret your whole wretched existence!"

On cue, the three brothers of Nohr raised their weapons and struck: Brynhildr's vines tore into the monster's slimy exterior and seized hold of what seemed to be the heart—it was where King Garon's heart would have been, anyway—and the organ pulsed as it was seized. With a shout, Corrin and Xander thrust their blades into the organ, making the creature howl in agony before it slowly drew silent.

They all collapsed to their knees. More violet smoke burst from off the dripping monstrosity and, slowly, a figure emerged from underneath it. It was a figure with white hair that flowed in rounded waves along his head, parted down the middle. It was such a snowy white, but it still seemed to contain rivulets of gold. There was a beard of the same color making its way down his chin, but it was not yet full. His eyes were dark and tense, but not sunken in. The figure groaned, "Xander… are you there?"

"F-Father?" Xander stuttered, his eyes widening, "No… I won't fall for the same tricks."

"You… did well, Xander," the figure said.

"Wh-What?"

"I was… a disgrace to Nohr… a threat to it. It's all coming back to me now… everything I did… in the name of that damned dragon. I was so cruel to all of you… to everyone… You acted exactly as you should have… my son."

"Father… I don't…"

"You don't need to do anything more, son. You performed admirably. Please, take this cursed crown from my head. Be the type of king our nation deserves."

"Not yet, father. Please, stay… Now that I know you're still in there, I can help you! Please… don't go!"

"Stop that… don't go blubbering like a bloody child. Accept the reality of things and move on, Xander. Be your own man. Don't waste your time on an old fool like me. I made my mistakes, and I'm paying for 'em now. If you have any respect for me, you'll put on the damn crown and rule! Rule… like you were… born to."

Xander crawled forward on his hands and knees, removing the crown from King Garon's head, and placed it upon his own. The former king's eyes followed the new king's hands. When he noticed, Xander looked down at his father. "Father," said the son, "I forgive you."

Azura stood, ran to the doors of the chamber, and flung them open, shouting the news. Fighting ceased as citizens and soldiers lowered their arms, looking to investigate the singer's claims. She led them to the chamber and returned to Corrin's side. All those who followed her into the chamber saw two princes and a king kneeling before the body of their father, two princesses clutched in each other's arms, and a mysterious woman who slowly began sobbing.


	23. Paralogue 1: The End of the Long Night

As people bustled back and forth through the room, sending the torchlight flickering, Corrin thought about his days back in the fortress. He recalled all the hours he had spent pining to leave that little black chamber, suspended in the cold air. He remembered hearing stories from his siblings about how beautiful Windmire and the castle could be, and he believed that, for the very first time, he was seeing what they meant. His other trips to the castle had been marred—it had always seemed darker with King Garon's presence to him, but now the walls seemed to shine with the light of the torches and the energy from the movement of colorful dresses and fancy shirts and jackets that passed him by. He did his best to stay out of the way as servants bustled through, carrying dustpans, tables, food, drinks, broken paintings, and the occasional bit of rubble. The castle's refurbishment was still taking time, but they had, at least, managed to clean up the bloodstains. King Garon's body had been placed in a covered casket that was at this very moment being placed at the center of the dais where Xander would soon be taking the stage.

Corrin smiled and waved as he saw Jakob and Flora carrying several chairs down the hall, and Felicia was just behind them with a plate of small glasses of punch that she was concentrating on very carefully. The prince looked at a large grandfather clock that sat unassumingly in the corner of the room. He pursed his lips a little when he saw the hour.

Camilla and Elise both came drifting through, the former in a flowing dress that shifted from black to violet at its fringes and accentuated her figure, and the latter in an even more decorated skirt than usual: fresh flowers were tied into the dress and her hair, which, Corrin noticed, looked just a bit more purple than usual. "Hi Corrin!" Elise yelled, running over to hug her older brother.

"Elise," he said, smiling, "Ah, you look so mature, I'd hardly recognize you."

"Camilla helped me get dressed," his sister said, "isn't she the best?"

"How's your side feeling?" asked her brother, reaching out to lightly press on the area near her hip.

"Doing better," she answered, "it still hurts a little when I get out of bed or change my clothes, but it really is much better. You should've seen all those people crowding around me with their staves… I felt like the most popular girl in the country, tee hee!"

"I'd say you're probably pretty close," Corrin replied, glancing up at Camilla, who was trying to distance herself from a portly nobleman with a thick red-and-brown mustache. "You're very brave for continuing on like this, Elise," her brother told her, "Thank you for coming today."

"Aw, it's nothing," she said, "I wouldn't miss my big brother's coronation just 'cause of some silly ol' injury."

"Did you make sure to thank Camilla?" he asked, "Your flowers look very pretty. They must've taken a long time to fix just right."

"Of _course_ I did," she answered, "You're starting to talk to me like a little girl, like Leo and Xander do."

"I'm sorry," he said, chuckling, "as big as you get, I can't help but to think of you as my sweet baby sister, Elise."

"Yeah, well, you're lucky you're a good brother," she said, hugging him once more, "I think I have to run—Arthur and Effie are supposed to help me to my seat. Shouldn't you be finding yours, too?"

"I will, shortly," he said, glancing at the clock. Elise nodded and took her leave. Camilla saw her sister making for the amphitheater and shoved her way through the man who had been occupying her. She winked and waved at her brother as she walked on. Selena and Beruka appeared several paces behind her, walking in unison. As they followed their lady, Selena leaned back to leer at the nobleman who had been bothering her.

Corrin continued to look at the clock, and he felt himself tensing up as he watched more of the visitors head into the amphitheater, leaving the room emptier and emptier until he thought he was surely the only one left. He didn't want to be late to see the ceremony, but he knew he couldn't leave his position, and so the prince began to fret, pacing back and forth around the stairwell that led to the castle's upper floors.

As if on cue, the door cracked open, and a blue-black high-heel-wearing foot took one step in. Corrin turned his attention immediately to the door, hearing the sound of the foot over the murmur coming from the next room. A length of periwinkle-blue hair swished into view, and with it a pale face with golden eyes. Azura whipped her head back and forth, scanning the room before deciding to enter.

"Azura!" Corrin called, waving to her.

She leapt almost half a foot when she heard his voice. "Oh, Corrin," she said, pressing her palm into her chest, "I thought you would've already been in the theater by now… I hope I'm not _that_ late, I just… I had to find something that was appropriate to… um…" She continued to stumble over her words as she entered. She wore a dress nearly identical to her usual attire—same habit-like head covering, same swan-like frilled sleeves, and the same long dress that trailed onto the floor, adorned with ribbon the same color as her hair, and missing a sliver along her side so that her right hip and some of her stomach was visible, but the clothes were all dyed dark—a bluish-purplish-black color, the same as the miasma of the Nohrian skies.

Corrin's eyes widened as he took in the new dress. "You look beautiful," he said.

She blushed, not only from the compliment, but also because she now had the time to look him over as well: his old armor, shredded and bloodied beyond recognition in their previous battle, had been replaced with a set of onyx-black plates that vaguely resembled Xander and Leo's armor. Jagged black gauntlets covered his hands, more plates covered the shape of his legs, a pair of gold ring-like protrusions accented his thighs, and a gold forked or wing-like pattern was embossed onto a pauldron on his left shoulder. Around his neck, a sophisticated-looking white shirt with a few frills of its own was neatly buttoned, a green brooch holding it in place, and the collar stuck out past the armor and adorned his neck. The only thing remaining of his original armor was his dirtied, hole-ridden blue cape that was pinned into the back of the armor now, instead of around his front. She was shocked by how much more mature the ensemble managed to make him look. "You make for a very handsome prince," she replied.

His face became tinged with red, too. "Let's hurry and get you in there. It's about time we saw the beginning of the result of our efforts," he said, taking her hand and leading her toward the amphitheater, "It's going to take a long time and a lot of work, but now that King Garon is gone, we can end the war with Hoshido and maybe, finally, things can start to get a bit more peaceful around here."

Azura said nothing and was led quietly to her seat. She looked around and was impressed by the warm lighting from chandeliers hanging overhead and sconces hanging from the walls that held flickering orange flames. On a slightly upraised dais at the base of the amphitheater, Xander had just come forward, and so the eyes of all the Nohrians in the room quickly drifted to him.

He extended a wave to them, saying, "Thank you, my fellow Nohrians. Thank you all for being here today. I come before you not as the new king of Nohr, but as a saddened and appreciative son. For all his faults, the King Garon I once knew was a man of conviction—powerful, gregarious, and magnanimous. At times, he went too far—he overindulged in the allure of women and conquest alike, and it is in that latter capacity that he brought Nohr to its current situation. The loss of Queen Katerina, as well as Queen Arete had a heavy impact on my father, as they did on me, and as I'm sure they did on everyone seated here today. What my father did was inexcusable, but he will forever be my father, and for that I am glad, both for the love and wisdom he gave to me, and for the fact that I will now be in a position to right his mistakes. As Nohr's king, I vow to restore the honor and glory of our great kingdom—to revitalize our relationships with the tribes and bordering kingdoms that our people may eat of plenty and travel the streets feeling safe once more."

This proclamation was met with a loud wave of applause from the audience.

Xander thanked them and bid them to fall silent once more. "Before I accept the crown," he said, "I would like to add that my ascension to the throne was not accomplished alone, nor was it something in which I took great pleasure. I stand before you today because proud Nohrians sought to make their country a land of peace and happiness, as well as glory and tradition, once more. Among those Nohrians whom I'd like to credit are my siblings, the radiant Princesses Camilla and Elise, my staunch and wise brother, Prince Leo, and the man you have come to know as the 'Moonlight Prince,' my brother Corrin."

The round of applause for Corrin was even louder, and some members of the crowd stood to applaud him. Corrin remained seated and silent, bowing to them in his chair. Azura felt a smile creep across her face.

"Thank you all very much," Xander addressed the crowd once more, "And now, I shall look to the most respected and distinguished servant remaining from my father's court to present me with the king's crown."

Corrin chuckled and applauded with the other nobles as Jakob took the stage, carrying the spiky black crown on a pillow. The butler's voice was monotone as he spoke to Xander: "Crown Prince Xander of Nohr, Son of Garon, inheritor of the blood of the Dark Dragon, wielder of the divine blade Siegfried, with the acceptance of this crown, do you pledge to honor the glory of both the nation of Nohr and its people, to serve them both with an even hand and a sound mind, and to uphold at all times the dignity and honor deserved of our country?"

"I do," Xander replied.

"Will you hold your blade aloft, showing to the court that the power of the blood that resonates through your veins, and, in so doing, the extent of your worthiness to obtain this crown?"

"I shall," said the prince, and he lifted Siegfried straight above his head, letting the blade shine in the candlelight. Maroon pulses carried along the edges of the blade, visible to everyone in the audience. After a few seconds, once Jakob seemed satisfied, Xander lowered and sheathed the blade.

"Very well then," said Jakob, "by the authority vested in me by court of the former king of Nohr, I present the title to you, and now I prithee, receive thy crown." The butler offered the crown up to Xander, who took it and gently placed it on his head. The crowd erupted into more cheers and nearly everyone stood to applaud the new king. Xander beamed a smile at everyone in the crowd, waving and embracing their praise.

Corrin, too, was standing and clapping, but he suddenly became aware of a noise at his side. He turned to see tears flowing down Azura's face. "Azura," he said, nudging her, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied, looking straight ahead, "It's just… very beautiful. Moving, to think we've come this far."

"I agree," he said, "but I think a smile is the more appropriate way to welcome that, wouldn't you say?" She stared in silence as he tried to wipe the tears off her face with his gloved thumb. "Come on," he urged her, "I've seen you sad for too long. Won't you give me a big, beautiful smile?"

The tears didn't stop, but she did manage to turn the corners of her mouth into a smile. Corrin thanked her and turned to watch as Xander descended from the dais to be quickly mobbed with handshakes from everyone in the room. Some of the Nohrians in the back rows of the amphitheater were already filing out, heading toward the banquet hall where the feast would begin.

Corrin walked out into the hall to join his brothers and sisters as they each shook Xander's hand and, in Elise's case, gave him a tight hug. There was a quick debate as to where everyone would be sitting, wherein Elise and Camilla both demanded to sit beside Corrin, as they felt they hadn't had a meal beside him in _ages_.

[…]

The world was bathed in dark blue hues. If she didn't know any better, she'd say she was looking around underwater, and what was in front of her was the surface. Azura clutched her pendant tightly. "For the best," she told herself for the final time. The water in front of her rippled, and she readied herself to sing once more.

She was arrested by the sound of feet traipsing through the grass to meet her. The sound startled her and made her whip around, her hair swinging wildly. "Azura?" Corrin called to her from the dark, "what are you doing out here?"

"Corrin," she said, frowning, "I could ask you the same. Why aren't you in there making merry with your brothers and sisters? Isn't this what you were always dreaming of?"

"I was looking for you," he replied, "my dreams have changed a bit over time. They've come to rather strongly incorporate you."

"Please, don't make this any harder than it already is," she told him.

He cocked an eyebrow, saying, "What is? What are you up to?"

"I have to go away for now, Corrin," Azura told him, "I can't tell you why, but I just can't stay here anymore. There are things I have to do elsewhere?"

"Could I help you with them?" he asked, offering his hand.

She turned away from it, "No. No, I couldn't put you in that position."

Suddenly, the sadness in Corrin's voice turned to anger: "This again? I've grown a bit sick of your excuses, Azura. Why won't you just _tell_ me what's going on? Let me judge the risk for myself! All this time you've spent protecting me from some unknown danger—why do you keep it all to yourself? I want to help you. I'm _begging_ to help you."

"You're mistaken," she said, "I'm not protecting you. Being at your side served my goals, and that's… that's all, all right? We're done here. King Garon is gone, you, your siblings, and your kingdom are free to rejoice. That's what you wanted, right? So why don't you just leave me be?"

"I know that's not true, Azura," he replied, "You knew of King Garon's possession well before anyone else, you disappear and reappear overnight, your pendant and your song can affect people in unknown ways, and you even gave me a dragonstone on the day Lady Mikoto was killed. Did you think I wouldn't find that just a little bit suspicious?"

She protested weakly, but couldn't construct a real response.

"And that's the reason I can't just leave you be," said Corrin, "you've been with me for so long, helping me, teaching me, protecting me, and all at such great pain to yourself. You can hide as much as you want, but don't think I haven't seen the ragged looks in your eyes, and don't think for a moment that it hasn't torn my heart up thinking about you suffering for me."

"You shouldn't be concerning yourself with me," she murmured.

"But I am!" he exclaimed, "I am concerned for you. I care a lot about you, Azura. Can't you see? I… I _love_ you, Azura."

Her breathing hitched, and she stared at him with wide eyes. "Corrin," she said, shaking her head as her voice bubbled up her throat, "don't do this to me, please. I can't bear it. I just can't."

He placed one knee on the ground and fished into the armor around his chest, retrieving an ornate gold ring with the emblem of Nohr engraved on it. "Azura, please," he said with thin breath, "I can't bear it, either. Don't deny me now when we've been together so long. I don't believe that there's anyone else alive who understands me as closely as you do. Please don't leave me alone in this world."

Her eyes were filled with tears again as she took the ring from his hand with agonizing slowness. She looked at the object, then back at him. "Consider carefully what you're doing," she said, "Even a simple careless whisper could be the end of us both, if you choose to follow this path."

"If it means remaining with you, I'll scale any path, even if it's completely vertical. Nothing's too great a challenge," he replied.

"And," she went on, her voice cracking, "there's no comfort in the truth, Corrin. If you join me, you'll only be sharing in my pain. It's an impossible burden to bear, which is why I never wanted to saddle you with it."

"Maybe it only seems impossible because you've been shouldering it alone for so long," he said, taking her hand. He slid the ring on her finger, and she leaned into him. She took a few steps back, leading toward the small pond behind them.

"Then, the truth is, I love you too," Azura said. She kissed him and kept pulling him toward the water. They fell back and landed in the pond with a splash. Corrin kept his eyes shut as they entered the water and his lips stayed connected to Azura's. Despite being underwater and locked in a kiss with her, he swore he could hear the songstress singing her "special" song once more. He enjoyed the synesthetic sensation of water, music, and the touch of her skin as his vision remained dark and he felt himself slowly slipping out of consciousness.

 _You are the ocean's gray waves_ …


	24. Paralogue 2: Echoes of Silence

When his eyes reopened, Corrin found himself looking up at the water. He started and turned his head, assuming he had been turned upside-down, but then only found himself more confused, as the ground rose up to meet his head. He reoriented himself again and realized that his feet were, in fact, planted firmly on the ground, but an ocean seemed to churn above him, and white, wispy clouds surrounded the island on which he stood, gathering in layers that made them also look like a sea. "What?" the prince blurted out, his eyes darting along the landscape.

"Welcome to the place of my birth," he heard Azura say, "and yours. This is the kingdom of Valla."

"How can a place like this exist?" Corrin said, still distracted by his surroundings, "All these suspended islands… and the water… I've never even seen the name written on any map. What _is_ this?"

"Valla was once the land of dragons," Azura replied, "a world beneath the one you have come to know, and yet above it; a primordial society of humans and dragons—you're looking at heaven… and hell."

"Wait," said Corrin, eyes finally settling on her, "You said this was my birthplace, too?"

She nodded.

"Is that why…?" he murmured, looking at his palm, "Azura… I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, here. Can you explain what's going on? This feels like a fever dream."

"Sure," she said, nodding again, "Walk with me, will you? Why don't I tell you what happened through the use of a story? You like those, don't you?"

"Whatever helps," he said, screwing his face up as he took another look at the ocean above him.

"Very well," she said, "but this takes a bit of time to tell, so please don't interrupt—I can answer questions afterward, but for now, just listen, however confusing it gets."

"Okay, okay," he said, shrugging, "I didn't say anything."

"All right," Azura said with a long sigh. She began, "Once, long, long ago, before the human invention of time, there existed a star on the Astral Plane. It was the largest and most hospitable star on the Astral Plane, and so, a group of twelve dragons elected to settle on it—there, they would begin their lives. Dragons of their size and power could live for many eons, and they knew they would live contentedly on that star. When the dragons arrived, they crafted masses of land in the empty expanse of the star's innards upon which they could rest their tired limbs. For a time, they lived quietly and happily in that star, conversing and resting as they pleased.

"One day, however, a particularly wise dragon, who was well revered for his wisdom among his companions, came to them and told them that he had experienced a premonition: eventually, they would all go mad and destroy the star, as well as each other. The dragons were quite shocked by the news, and they asked the wise dragon what they could do to prevent this fate. The wise dragon told them that they must each breathe some of their power into the elements and give them life, and that these elements would thereafter maintain the sanity of those who had given them life, and, therefore, would be able to prevent their masters' going insane. The twelve dragons combined their powers and all the elements at their disposal and created human beings.

"The creation of humans was a great boon for the dragons, as they no longer needed to fear their insanity, however, the humans required more landmass on which to live and buildings in which to shelter themselves: the dragons provided all these things. Still, more and more humans were being spawned over the years, and every year they would ask their masters to create more space for them. The dragons were faced with another crisis: what could they do with the ever-expanding population of humans?

"One of the dragons suggested they simply kill some humans every year. Other dragons found that suggestion distasteful, arguing that the humans had not harmed them. The dragon who had proposed the idea did not care, and said that he would do as he pleased, and so, the next year, when the humans serving this dragon asked him for more space for their families, he rejected them, saying, instead, that they should offer up a thousand of their oldest or weakest members to be killed. The humans, fearing the awesome might of their master, complied. This dragon became known to followers and outsiders alike as the Dark Dragon.

"Another dragon was very angry about this treatment of the humans. This dragon attacked the Dark Dragon, attempting to rescue the Dark Dragon's subservient humans. To this dragon's surprise, however, the humans fought for their master anyway—they had become adjusted to his way of things and now found it quite acceptable. In fact, to preserve the weak had become a laughable, pitiable idea among this group of humans. The dragon who had attacked was forced to flee, but upon returning, was healed by his followers, who sympathized with their wounded master. This dragon was called the Dawn Dragon by his followers, and later by all.

"The Dawn Dragon did not give up on his desire to liberate the humans, and the Dark Dragon was determined to have more humans who served his peers killed in order to keep the star habitable, but they knew they could not defeat one another by themselves. Instead, they sought allies among their peers: the dragons of fire and wind joined the Dawn Dragon, and the Ice Dragon joined the Dark Dragon. Both dragons sought arms for the humans who served them so that they, too, could join in the battle, and so they spoke to another dragon who could manufacture weapons for them. This dragon, who you know as the Rainbow Sage, did not wish to take sides in the coming war, and so he created two equally powerful sets of weapons for both dragons—these were Raijinto and the Fujin Yumi for the Dawn Dragon and Siegfried and Brynhildr for the Dark Dragon.

"Unbeknownst to these dragons, however, the Rainbow Sage also created a fifth weapon, which he gave to the wise dragon, called Anankos. He told Anankos to give the weapon to a champion of his choice who could protect the dragons if the war became too dangerous. Anankos gifted the weapon to a kindly young man with pale blue hair who was called Cadros. The gift of the weapon, known as the Yato, was seen as a great sign of Anankos's favor, and so Cadros was considered the human ruler of Anankos's followers. Anankos liked this delegation of responsibility and endorsed Cadros's leadership, eventually forming a bond of friendship between the two.

"When war eventually broke out, many hundreds upon thousands of humans were killed fighting for either dragon before the unthinkable happened: in the midst of the fighting, some of the humans went mad and killed an innocent dragon—one who was not participating in the war. This instantly terrified all of the dragons: if the humans had the power to kill them, it meant that they were no longer safe to occupy the same space as the humans. On the verge of this new crisis, Anankos emerged, presenting a plan. Anankos said that he could relieve the other dragons of their physical forms, embodying them in the blood of their most trusted followers and the divine weapons that they wielded, bestowing incredible power upon these humans, and ensuring that the dragons never died out utterly, and that they would retain their sanity. Then, Anankos continued, he would create a shell around their world, hiding the plane they occupied beneath an impenetrable surface, and the empowered humans would be given this domain to rule and explore freely. The other dragons accepted this plan and, one by one, their minds were transferred into the bodies of their champions, and those champions were sent away to the outside world. When his work was finished, only Anankos and his followers remained in the inner world. For many centuries afterward, Anankos did not speak to his followers, saddened by the disappearance of his peers—this earned him the moniker of The Silent Dragon.

"One day, however, Anankos recalled his premonition of going mad from his wisdom, and he thought that it would certainly happen soon. As such, he called forth the king of the land that was now called Valla. This man was a descendant of Cadros and, despite the dragon's silence, maintained the same sort of friendship with him, as did all kings of Valla. This king was well renowned for possessing a beautiful singing voice, and so Anankos proceeded to join him in creating a song with enchanting lyrics. This song could be used to prevent the onset of Anankos's madness, and so it was to be taught to every member of the Vallite royal family, so that Anankos could never be made to lose his sanity. He and his human followers lived in silent harmony for many years while the world above forgot about them.

"Unfortunately, Anankos could not escape his fate. Madness began to tear at the Silent Dragon's mind, and he killed the current Vallite king before the song could be taught to his descendants. Afterward, Anankos began using his infinite wisdom to wipe the minds of the humans of Valla, placing them under his thrall and removing their free will. In a fit of rage and madness, he made them slaughter their families. He then used his power to break through a crack in the surface world above him, seeking vengeance on those who had abandoned him."

Corrin walked on in silence, watching as Azura's face gradually drooped lower and lower as they walked. "And then?" he said, prompting her.

"And that brings us to today," she said, "The one who possessed King Garon… it was Anankos."

Corrin's eyes went wide. "You mean to say… Anankos was the one who was trying to start a war between Hoshido and Nohr?" he asked.

"Yes," said Azura, "He was the one who created Ganglari, and who used it to kill your mother, knowing that the Hoshidans would see it as a Nohrian attack. He wants everyone to experience the same pain he did—being made to kill their brethren, and those that they love."

"Why didn't you tell me about any of this before?" asked Corrin.

Azura ran her fingers through her hair, saying, "Well, for one, I know the story is rather difficult to believe, at least to one who has never visited Valla, but, more importantly, there is a curse on those who know of Valla: uttering any word in describing it on the surface world will cause a person to vanish. It was Anankos's way of preventing any humans from ever learning about and returning to his domain, and now it ensures that everyone living here will remain his slave forever."

"But… you said we were both born here," said Corrin, "how is it that we're not slaves, too?"

"Our mothers rescued us both, fleeing from Valla when we were quite young," Azura replied, "you even more so than I. My mother, Queen Arete, brought me to Nohr, while your mother, Lady Mikoto, brought you to Hoshido. They both became queens of their respective nations… for a time, anyway."

"So, our mothers knew each other?" probed the prince.

"Yes, though to what extent I can't say," Azura answered him, "mine was taken before I could speak to her about such things, and Lady Mikoto wouldn't speak to me of her."

"But wait," Corrin stopped her, "If Mikoto was from Valla, and you said I was born here, then that means I wasn't born in Hoshido. Was Sumeragi still my father?"

Azura shook her head, saying, "King Sumeragi was no more your father than was King Garon. You became King Sumeragi's stepson when he married Lady Mikoto."

"But then, who _is_ my father?" he asked.

Azura hesitated before telling him, "You are the son of Anankos."

"Lady Mikoto and the dragon Anankos?" Corrin repeated, "But… how does that even… you know…?"

"Anankos liked to walk among his followers in a human shape even before he was sealed off from the surface—it made him feel more connected to his people. When Cadros died, Anankos protected and eventually married his daughter in this form, to keep the other humans from harming the descendants of his friend. All of Valla's royal family have since shared the blood of Anankos and Cadros. Occasionally, Anankos found himself drawn to those who had a particular affinity for his blood and courted them anew, birthing a new, stronger generation of royalty, and ensuring that Cadros's blood would never be too far removed from his own. Lady Mikoto was one such person," Azura explained.

Corrin stared at the ocean above him rubbing his head. "I'm sorry," he said, "it's just so much to wrap my head around. And what can we possibly do about all this?"

"There is a chance—or, I had hoped there would be a chance that we could reunite all the wielders of the divine weapons to vanquish Anankos," she said.

"But I ruined that by siding with Nohr, is that it?" he replied.

"No, I expected that uniting both nations would be impossible," Azura continued, "but that's why I was insistent on you choosing a side and sticking with it. This way, we have the trust of the entire Nohrian royal family, at least. I believe that, with time, we might be able to convince them and all of Nohr to aid in our battle."

"And what do we do until then?" Corrin asked.

She smiled for the first time since they had arrived, turning to gesture toward a small brick house surrounded by trees. "For now, since we're… together… I thought we could start by taking a brief respite. Getting a bit… closer, perhaps."

He smiled, too, and took her hand. With a yet-unseen giddiness, she pulled him into the house and watched him as he looked around. "Modest, but cozy," he said, glancing at the mostly bare walls. A chair was pushed in front of a mantle with a long-dead fireplace. On that mantle sat a dusty framed photo of a blue-haired woman that Corrin did not recognize: he assumed it was Azura's mother. A sofa was pushed against a wall beneath a small window, and there was an end table between it and the chair. Moving into the next room, there was a large wooden table with four chairs arranged around it and not much else. Next was a kitchen—ah, so the previous room had been a dining room, he thought—equipped with many pots and pans, drawers with towels and silverware sticking out of them, cupboards ajar withholding dishes and glasses, and an efficient-looking earthenware oven. "I have to say," he chuckled, "it's a bit less tidy than I would have expected of you, Azura."

"I wasn't exactly anticipating company," she said a bit defensively, "although I don't remember it being quite _this_ messy when I left it…" As she trailed off, she led Corrin into the final room in the house, which was up a flight of rickety wooden stairs. The top floor was made entirely of a small bedroom, encroached on by the slanted roof—at its lowest points, there wasn't enough room for either of them to stand up straight, but in the middle, where the bed was positioned, there was plenty of space. A few bookshelves lined the walls of the upper room, and the bed was plain, with only one white sheet, one white pillow (which now looked a lot more yellow), and a big blue blanket to cover it. It was clearly only meant for one person. Noticing this, Azura cleared her throat, saying "Erm, we might eventually need to figure out some renovations, but I think it'll do for now."

"Is this where you'd go when you disappeared from us?" Corrin asked, looking all around.

She nodded. "With all due respect," said Azura, "I found it much more comfortable to come back here where I could sing and sleep in peace than to be stuck in a tent, lying on the ground."

"I suppose that's fair," he said, "but aren't you worried about Anankos's followers attacking you here?"

"Anankos is both wise and powerful, but he is neither omnipotent nor omniscient," she replied, "If I don't reveal myself, there's no reason for his followers to come out this way looking for me. Trust me, I spent at least five years darting back and forth across Valla to find this place."

"All right, I believe you," said the prince, "So, what should we do now?"

"For the time being," she said, pressing her finger against her lips, "why don't I make us both some sushi, and then we can lie down for a while, to give you time to process everything."

"I like that plan," he said. "Er, but won't it be a bit tricky for us both to lay on that bed?" Corrin asked, pointing to it.

"We'll just have to lay very close together," she said, and spun around to descend the stairs. Corrin watched her walk away, bewildered not only by everything that he'd heard, but by the sudden and apparent change in her demeanor. Was this what she was like when she no longer needed to keep secrets? Corrin was happy to consider the possibility. He listened as she began to hum from the kitchen.

Elsewhere, a certain redheaded young woman took a fistful of rice out of a sack and stuffed it into her mouth. "Ugh, gods," she declared to herself as she swallowed it down, "that's the first real food I've had in… how long have I been here? Yeesh. Also the first time I found a house that didn't have any of those crazy invisible zombie-people inside it. Looks like luck is on my side today." She clipped the small sack full of rice into her belt and tied it fast to her side. "All right," she said, closing her eyes, "help me out now, dad: if it were you, which way would you go? Don't worry, I forgive you for the river thing. Hm, to the east, huh? When in doubt, right? Good thinking. Okay, east it is, then." The young woman reached around to her back, grabbing the hilt of her sword—it was still resting comfortably in its sheathe. Next, she fished into her long purple coat and reached an internal pocket, patting the tome that was tucked inside. "Everything's good to go," she said aloud, "and I'm still talking to myself. I sure hope I can track down Inigo and the others soon."


	25. Paralogue 3: Roses from Afar

Corrin sat up to light streaming into a neat rhombus on the floor in front of him. It became immediately clear to him that the events of the previous day had not been a strange dream, as he might otherwise have assumed, when he felt the pressure of Azura's body against his, and the heat of her breathing on his neck. He watched her wordlessly for a moment, seeing her loose, closed eyes and her stomach rise and fall ever so slightly. He thought it a bit amusing that he had never quite seen her in that position before. Even back in Cheve, when they had eventually passed out beside one another, he was denied the luxury of waking her up gently, or vice-versa. Now, it seemed it would be just too cruel to wake her, given the relaxed state she was in.

So he didn't. Instead, the prince gently rolled to face her, smiling as her hand limply brushed his shifting torso. When he was comfortable again, he hazarded to stick out his arm and run his hand through her long hair. The gesture was only partly out of affection—it was motivated somewhat by curiosity, as he found himself wondering exactly how long a single strand of her hair went, since the mass of it shook along near her feet when she walked. He had managed to trace it down just below her hips when her eyes fluttered open. The prince sheepishly ran his hand back up her side and tried to play it off. "Good morning," he said gently.

"Good morning," she answered, her voice still swimming in pangs of sleep. "Did you sleep well?" she said with a yawn.

He nodded. "Quite," said the prince, "but I still feel odd, with things being as they are."

She murmured in agreement. "It was difficult for me to understand some of it when I first understood the scale of the truth, too," she said.

"Yes, there's that," he said hesitantly, "discovering my true heritage has been quite the journey. I'm still sort of coming to grips with it, learning that a dragon was my father. I feel like I'm not quite the same person I was a few days ago, which leads me to you, Azura."

"Hm? What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean that before we got here, you were so quiet and reserved and stoic… as soon as we arrived in Valla, it's like I started to see a person that I've never met before," said the prince.

"Do you like that person?" she said after a pause.

"Yes, of course," he answered, "I'm surprised, that's all."

"When I learned about what had happened to Valla, I felt very alone," said Azura, slowly rising from the bed, "I was sure, for a while, that I was the only Vallite left besides Lady Mikoto. Then she reminded me of her son—of you. It was almost even more disheartening to know that there was another Vallite in the world, but that I would never get to see him. I started remembering everything that I could about you from when we were children and imagining what you would look like if we met, as well as what I'd say to you. Nothing surprised me more than the day you startled me at that lakebed in Hoshido."

"That seems like ages ago now," Corrin said.

"As do my feelings from back then," Azura agreed, "Once we met, I was sure you'd side with Hoshido. I have to admit, I was completely taken off-guard when you sided with your Nohrian siblings. Having experienced what I have now, I understand better why, of course—they're very different people from their parents. It occurs to me that much of my attraction to you seems to stem from your ability to consistently surprise me, Corrin."

"Oh?" he said absently. He was occupied by rather unashamedly gawking at Azura's legs and bottom, which were covered only by a pair of pale blue shorts.

"I had sensed your feelings before, and I knew that I shared them," Azura continued as she picked up a brush from a nightstand beside the bed and leaned her head to the side, beginning the long process of straightening the wavy mass of her hair, "I almost didn't show up on the night of Xander's coronation… I wanted to spare you the pain of having to miss me, as I knew I would you. But, I suppose part of me couldn't bear the thought of leaving without at least saying goodbye, and I had hoped that maybe that little gesture would keep you from hating me when I disappeared. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect a ring to come out. You've started to make me question my understanding of fate. If there's one thing that's certain about you, it's that you're beholden to no one but yourself."

"Well, that's not quite true," he said, "I'm married now, so there's one other person whose feelings mean more than mine."

"Oh, stop," she said, smiling, "it's been two days, and it's hardly been legally recognized. For now, we're just two kindred spirits on the same path."

"I discovered yesterday that my father is a dragon and that I come from a world below what I thought were the natural limits of the world," he replied, "I think the legally-binding nature of our marriage is an auxiliary concern at most."

"It's… nice to not have to feel alone anymore," she said, sitting back down on the bed.

"My thoughts exactly," Corrin said, seizing her hand and interlacing his fingers with hers. "Now, onto my next question: when did you start wearing that?"

She lifted her head. "What, these?" she gestured to the shorts and to the wrapping that was covering her bust, "This is what I always sleep in. There is no sunset in Valla, so the temperature can be a bit intolerable at night, especially under blankets."

"I suppose that's true," Corrin agreed, "I had chalked up my warmth to extra body heat, but I guess that's a possible contributing factor. So, here's another question: do you always sweat so much?"

Azura stopped brushing her hair and turned her head to face him. "Come again?" she said.

He patted the bed, "There are just these damp spots here and there, almost all of them where you were sleeping. Were you really that hot? If so, we can just forget the blankets…"

"V-Vallites have a natural affinity to water," Azura said, "the Water Dragon was a friend of Anankos—so much so that he allowed their royal families to mix blood before he sent the Water Dragon and his followers away. I have… er, overactive pores as a result."

"I suppose that explains why you like to hang around bodies of water," Corrin replied, pinching his chin, "but if that's the case, why wouldn't I—"

Before Corrin could finish his sentence, the pair heard shouts of distress from outside. Azura stood up immediately, and Corrin was beside her in a few seconds. "Is someone else out there?" said the prince.

"That's impossible," Azura said, shaking her head, "everyone else in Valla was killed or made into a slave decades ago. No one could have outlasted them for so long…"

"Well, you seemed to think the Vallites would have no reason to come out this way, right?" Corrin asked, "So, it seems pertinent to check either way, wouldn't you say?"

"All right," she agreed, nodding, "I'll need to get my dress… please be careful."

Corrin said that he would, and hurried down the stairs, picking up his Shadow Yato, throwing open the door, and jogging out into the meadow from whence they had heard the shouts. He scanned the horizon and eventually spotted a lone figure being pursued by a mob of other figures, running around and varying speeds. The prince jogged closer to find that the first figure was a redheaded woman.

Upon closer inspection, the woman was taking long, ragged breaths. The mob surrounding her was full of axe-toting warriors, sword-wielding soldiers, and several cavaliers, as well as what seemed to be samurai and onmyoji. Corrin watched the woman turn around and face them all. He prepared to run after her, but was surprised to hear her speak. "Urgh!" she shouted, "Why won't you freaks just leave me _alone_?! I am _so_ done with this cat-and-mouse shtick!"

Her enemies weren't all that impressed, apparently. One came forward to strike her with its blade, and Corrin regretted not getting closer to help her. Once again, however, he was surprised as his help seemed unnecessary: as the enemy jumped up, the woman brought a tome out of her coat and flung out her hand, skewering her opponent with a bolt of lightning. "There!" the woman shouted as her enemy fell, "How d'ya like _that_?! Now, the rest of you, what are you gonna do, huh?"

An axe-wielding enemy came after her now, and Corrin started running toward the redhead. He watched her put away her tome, pull out a gleaming sword, and quickly decapitate the aggressor. "Anyone else?" she goaded. As she did so, her adversaries apparently took to her challenge, as they began swarming her in a mob. "Oh, that tears it!" she shouted at them, "All right, then, to hell with the lot of you!"

Corrin closed in on the young woman to see her pull the tome back out, clutch her hand near her chest, and, suddenly, in a burst of what seemed to be both thunder and flame, a dozen soldiers were knocked completely off their feet and tossed to the ground, scorching and steaming. For some reason, Corrin could swear he saw flower petals falling down in the wake of the attack. He finally closed the distance to the young woman as she bent over, placing her hands on her knees and breathing heavily. She heard Corrin approach, picking up her head. "Oh, another one?" she said, clearly out of breath, "W-Well, c'mon! I can take as many of you as I have to!"

"Wait!" Corrin exclaimed, "I'm not with them! I came here to help!"

"Huh?" the redhead said, blinking at him, "You can talk? First time that's happened in a while… unfortunately, the ones who can talk seem to be an even bigger problem…"

"No, please listen!" the prince insisted, "My name is Corrin, and I'm not from around here. I was in my home with my wife, Azura, and we heard you shout."

"Not from around here, huh?" she said, carefully inspecting him, "Well, neither am I, as luck would have it. But if that's the case, where _are_ you from?"

"I was raised in the kingdom of Nohr," said the prince.

"Wait…" the woman said, stopping him, "Corrin? And you're from Nohr? Are you the one I've been looking for? Have you seen a blue-haired guy who's a helpless flirt?"

"No," he said, "although I know someone a bit like that with silver hair…"

"What about a prickly redheaded girl?" she continued, "About my age? Uses a sword? Terrible attitude?"

"That sounds like my sister's retainer Selena," Corrin said, "Say, looking at you, I'm reminded of someone I was looking for, too: you're a redheaded girl wearing a purple coat. Can I ask your name, fair lady?"

"'Fair lady?'" she repeated mockingly, "Did you learn from my husband? My name is Morgan, and I'm taken, buddy. You're not really my type as it is."

"That's not it at all!" the prince said, shaking his head vehemently, "I met your mother, Morgan. Her name is Anna, right? She wanted me to look for you."

"My mom?" Morgan started, "She's here?"

Recalling their conversation, Corrin dug into his pocket and pulled out the coin she had given him. He offered it to Morgan, saying, "Here, she gave this to me to ensure there would be no mistaking it."

After inspecting it for a minute, Morgan said, "No doubt about it, that's my mom's coin. But why did she send _you_ to look for me?"

"I couldn't tell you," Corrin shrugged.

"Corrin, what's going on?" Azura asked, having finally caught up to him.

"This is Morgan," Corrin said, turning to face Azura, "she's the one we heard shouting. Seems she was all right, though—she took care of her pursuers unbelievably well."

Morgan laughed. "All a matter of proper strategy," said the redhead, cracking her knuckles, "My father was a famous tactician back in his heyday. Say, who are you, miss? You remind me of someone else I saw out here a while back."

"Me?" Azura said, pointing at herself, "My name is Azura. I'm a princess of Valla… or I was, until Anankos went mad and ravaged the land."

"I've heard people mention that name before, 'Anankos,'" Morgan said, "Is he the king around here? Wouldn't be the first time I heard of a king gone mad."

"More than that," Azura replied, "Anankos is a dragon who rules over this world like a god. The royal family served him until he destroyed them, wracked by insanity. Corrin and I are the only surviving Vallites not under the beast's thrall."

Morgan stroked her chin as she listened. She looked at them both, saying, "That explains all the zombie-people who wouldn't speak to me. Boy, it's a rude awakening to show up in a place like this and then be attacked so suddenly."

"Show up?" Corrin repeated, "Where did you come from?"

"And how long have you been here?" added Azura.

"I've lost track of time," the redhead answered, more soberly, "I came here one day, realized I was separated my friends, and then fought off those people—the Vallites, I think you called them—for as long as I can remember. I had to steal food from peoples' houses and farms. Luckily, I have some prior training in that regard. As for where I'm from… you might not believe me if I tell you, but I was warped here from a kingdom in a different world altogether. A country called Ylisse."

"Elise?" Corrin said, screwing up his face, "There's a whole world that shares my sister's name?"

Morgan shook her head, saying, "Just the one country. There are others. We don't really have a name for our world, it's just 'the world.' And I doubt your sister spells it with a 'y.'"

"With a 'y?' How do you even—"

"Corrin!" Azura called to him, "Let's stick to what's important here. Morgan, who brought you here, and why? And who are these friends you mentioned?"

"Oh, right," she said, nodding, "Their names are Owain, Inigo, and Severa. We were all supposed to go to the kingdom of Nohr to help a prince named Corrin, but only after a few years. The man who sent us there… come to think of it, he also called himself Anankos. That's strange, he had the appearance of a man with blue hair, but he covered his face… I wonder, was he a manakete?"

"I'm unfamiliar with that term," said Azura, "but it sounds like you encountered the soul of the true Anankos. Is it possible that he reached out to you, knowing that he was going mad?"

"He did say that our task was going to be dangerous," Morgan recalled, "he told us he was going to change our appearances, powers, and names, but I refused all of that. I'm proud of who I am, and I don't want any of that to change. When I told him as much, he said it was useless to try to change my mind and he sent me away. From the sounds of it, though, it seems like we got some wires crossed—here I am in Valla, while all my friends are out of sight."

"Secret cursed worlds, mad dragons, emissaries from afar," Corrin recounted, sighing, "I never thought I'd long for the simplicity of starting a revolution."

"Come now, I thought you wanted to help me share this burden," Azura said, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Wha… are you… are you making fun of me?" he said.

"I _told_ you it was going to be difficult," she said, jabbing him with her finger, "I didn't ask for your help so that we could lie in bed all day."

"I suppose it was too presumptuous to think my work would be done any time soon," Corrin replied, nodding, "All right, Morgan. How can we be of assistance to you?"

"Getting me to Nohr would be a good start," answered the redhead, "If I can speak to my friends, and maybe to my mom, I might be able to get a better grip on what's happening."

"Easy enough," said Corrin, looking over at Azura, "Er, right, Azura? You can do that, can't you?"

She let out a long sigh. "Yes," said the princess, "going back is simple enough, but it can't be pinpoint—since there are three of us, we'll have to go via the Bottomless Canyon."

"Right," said Corrin, "So, do we just… jump into the pond, or do I need to kiss you again? Come to think of it, does Morgan have to kiss you too?"

Azura scoffed, rolling her eyes, and led them both away from the meadow. The walked for a few minutes in silence before reaching a cliff's edge with an endless white expanse below. "We'll need to jump from here," Azura said, gesturing over the edge.

"J-Jump?" Morgan started, "Are you nuts? A fall from that height would kill us!"

"I know it may be difficult to believe, Morgan, but I trust Azura," Corrin said, "She's never steered me wrong once. That's why wherever we go, we'll go toge…" Corrin turned around to find that Azura had already made her leap, as he could hear her dress flapping loudly in the wind below them. He sighed, looked at the sky, swallowed, and got a running start before diving off the cliff, head-first.

Morgan watched him drop, too, and also took a look at the sky. "What do you think, dad?" she asked, "Should I trust them? They seem a little… what's a good word… quirky. Yeah, but you say that about everybody. All right, all right, no need to lecture me, I'm goin'." With a quick sprint, the redheaded girl jumped off the edge, throwing in a somersault for her personal amusement as she fell.

[…]

"Well now," said Laslow, placing his hands on the counter, "here's a sight for sore eyes."

"That voice," the redheaded woman behind the counter turned around and spotted the silver-haired young man standing before her, "Hm, well, the hair's a bit different. Are you really the clown who married my daughter?"

"Pleased to see you again, too, dear Anna," he said.

"What brings you to my neck of the woods, kiddo?" she asked, pressing her index finger to her lips as she always did when she was intrigued.

"I heard about you through the grapevine," he replied, "I was working as a retainer to Prince Xander, now the king of Nohr, in case you hadn't heard."

"I'd have to be blind _and_ deaf not to," she said, "but that doesn't tell me why you're here instead of out looking for my little girl."

"I was more curious as to why _you_ were here," said Laslow, "I mean, Anankos brought us here, so how in the world could you have made it over?"

"You remember that shiny blue gate you found that one time in your adventures, and how my sister told you to never touch it?" asked Anna.

"How could I forget?"

"That's how."

"But where did it—"

"Trade secret. Just trust me, Inigo, it'd take a lot more explanation than it's worth."

"I go by Laslow in this world. Anankos told us it was important that we hide our identities."

"Mm, and yet I can still see the glimmer of your dear old dad in your eyes," said Anna, leaning forward toward him.

"I guess some elements of one's identity can't be hidden by even the most powerful masks," Laslow replied, "Speaking of which, don't think you've got me fooled, either."

The redhead stood back up, saying "You mean you can tell?"

"Only because I've been around Morgan so long," he said, arms folded, "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me as long as mine is with you."

"You know why I can't leave, then, too," she continued.

"Of course," the silver-haired man said, nodding, "I wouldn't expect a lot of exertion from someone in your situation. The fact that you even made it here is impressive."

"All right, easy," she said, frowning at him, "I've still got my pride. That's why it hurts particularly to have to beg you to hurry and find my girl. Time's running out—I'm sure of that much."

His head sank and his voice became more grave: "I can't think of anything I'd take more seriously. You'll see her again soon, Anna."

She was quiet, and the usual humor her eyes sported was gone. She nodded at him without saying anything more, and the silver-haired man left the merchant's stall to fade back into the shadows, the footsteps around her sounding more and more like the ticking of innumerable clocks.


	26. Paralogue 4: Separation and Reunion

Laslow entered the chamber slowly and knelt before the throne. "My liege," he said suavely.

"You know I have no interest in formalities, Laslow," said Xander, sitting at full attention in what was less than a week ago his father's throne, "Up with you. What were the results of your investigation? Have you found anything?"

"I'm afraid not, milord," his retainer said more seriously, "There was no evidence of Prince Corrin or Lady Azura's presence in the lower parts of the city."

Xander sat back and sighed. "Damn that brother of mine," he said, putting his hand over his face, "he's a bit too accomplished at hiding himself for my tastes."

"I shall continue my search at once, if that is what milord desires," Laslow told him.

The king shook his head. "I don't want to exhaust you, sending you out so much like that. In truth, I think I could use your company, Laslow. We're beginning to draft up some of the resolutions for the kingdom as a part of my rule, and Leo is being most intolerable in the deliberations. I'm dying for someone to help keep me sane."

"No one's ever accused me of having that effect before," the silver-haired man said, smiling and folding his arms.

"Exactly," the king laughed. His laughter was made brief, however, as their came a knock at the chamber door.

A guardsman peeked his head in at Xander and said, "Your Majesty, a representative from Hoshido has come to speak to you."

"Their new king, the former High Prince Ryoma, no doubt," Xander said, massaging his temples, "I can only imagine the scorn and admonition he'll have for me, although I am impressed he managed to finish the transfer of power so quickly. I suppose assassinations and ensuing wars have a way of speeding things along, however…"

"Er, it's a young lady, Your Majesty," said the guardsman, "She has pink hair and calls herself Princess Sakura. Shall I send her away?"

"Hm?" Xander cocked an eyebrow, saying, "The youngest member of Hoshido's royal family? Why would she be here instead of him? No, let her through—I will gladly grant her an audience."

"Sire," the guardsman nodded to him and faced back out into the hall before opening the door.

As he did so, the pink-haired princess of Hoshido walked slowly into the chamber, a long white dress covering her legs, with red sandals visible on the soles of her feet as she walked. Golden flower-like ornaments clasped a white hairband to a head that was already slightly sunken into the woman's collar. As if summoning all the strength within her, she looked up and made eye contact with the king, flinching when she first met his gaze. "G-Greetings, King Xander," she said.

"Good morrow, Princess Sakura," Xander replied, nodding at her, "allow me to formally welcome you to the Kingdom of Nohr."

"I'm m-much obliged, Your Highness," she stammered.

"If I may," said Xander, clearing his throat, "and I don't mean anything against you when I say this, but… I was expecting your eldest brother to be the first to visit me."

"As were we all," said Sakura, "but, um, Hoshido and its royalty are in quite a state now. Unfortunately, the death of Princess Hinoka remains very upsetting for King Ryoma… such that he expressed little interest in speaking with you, despite the necessity of that mission. Prince Takumi has been absent from the court for quite some time—he never returned after his attempted invasion of Dia."

"Well now, that _is_ curious," Xander replied, looking at the floor, "So, is there something in particular you'd like to discuss, Princess Sakura?"

"I've come to lobby for, er… clemency in the treatment of Hoshido, Your Highness," she said, "My brothers are too proud to say it, but we can ill afford strong sanctions at such a time, so I've been asked to see what steps are necessary to ensure a lasting peace with Nohr. It's our hope that your demands will be much more lenient than those of your father."

"Of course. I think you will find your hopes validated, as I, too, desire peace with Hoshido. Bloodshed for the sake of bloodshed is not now, nor has it ever been the policy of Nohr," Xander said, "In fact, it's fortuitous that you appeared today, Princess Sakura: with you present, I hope we can negotiate an official end to the war between our nations."

"That would be… a considerable step forward, Your Highness," she replied.

"Excellent. If you would come with me, then, we'll retire to my meeting room and discuss things with some of my advisors," he said, stepping down from his throne, "What's the matter? You seem uneasy. I promise, you're under no threat here."

"N-No, I understand," she said, "I simply, uh… would you be upset if I asked my retainers to accompany me, King Xander?"

"Not at all," he said, "In fact, Laslow here is one of my retainers, and he'll be joining the proceedings, too."

The silver-haired man flashed the Hoshidan princess a grin.

With a nod, Sakura turned and, with some effort, opened the door again, whispering into the hallway. Quickly, a brown-haired young woman in a pink outfit and a tall, thin man in blue who sported red hair in a ponytail stepped into the chamber. "Allow me to introduce Hana and Subaki," she said, gesturing to the woman and man, respectively.

They both bowed and said, "It's an honor, Your Majesty."

"Pleased to meet you both," said the king, "Now, let's away. There's much work to be done today."

[…]

Corrin stood up, rubbing his head. He found Azura looking down at him, arms folded, with Morgan a few feet away, hands interlocked behind her head to give the impression that she was lounging.

"Not that I don't appreciate the show," said Morgan, watching a flash of lightning in the distance, "but were the theatrics of jumping off a cliff really necessary? I mean, surely there's got to be a better way to get back and forth from that place."

"Not for you," Azura replied, "I can move back and forth at will with the power of my pendant, as can anyone I bring close enough to me, but to transport three or more people, this is simply the way it must be done. If you had come here a century ago, there wouldn't even _be_ a way for someone like you to leave 'that place' unless you were in direct contact with the owner of this pendant."

"Must be a pretty important piece o' jewelry, then," said Morgan, scrutinizing it, "Who made it?"

"I don't know for certain," said Azura, "It was thought to be a gift created by Cadros, the first king of... er, 'that place,' and Anankos, given to Cadros's daughter so that her voice could attain the same power that her father's held."

Morgan stared back with a cocked eyebrow.

"It's a whole other story," said Corrin.

"So, how far would you say it is to Nohr, Prince Corrin?" Morgan asked.

"From here? Oh, maybe a day until we get to the capital. Not too bad," he said.

"All right," she said, lowering her arms, "let's amscray then. I don't like the air around here—it kinda freaks me out."

"You're not the only one," Azura added as they began to walk.

"Well, we've got some time to kill," said Corrin, "Morgan, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself? You said your father was a… tactician, right? And your mother's a merchant. How'd that come about?"

"Trust me, if I start on that track, we'll be in the capital before I'm even halfway done," she said, "I don't like to talk about myself much, anyway. I'm more interested in your story—how did a prince of Nohr end up marrying a princess from some kinda crazy subterranean dimension?"

"You told her we were married?" Azura said, glaring at her fiancé.

"Is there… something wrong with that?" he said, swallowing.

"I'm beginning to think you had that proposal in mind for a while," she said with a smile, "You're taking to all this a little too quickly."

"Can you blame me?" he said, "We've been together so long…"

"All right, save it for when we don't have company," she told him. Clandestinely, however, she took hold of his hand.

"That, uh, did nothing to answer my question," said Morgan, "although it did raise a few others."

"I wonder if Camilla's going to be upset," the prince mused.

Azura stopped dead in her tracks.

"Something the matter, Azura?" asked her fiancé.

"Er, no," she looked to each side, "Nothing worthwhile, just… a little chilly in this canyon. I think we should hurry along."

"Noted," he said, smiling at her, "You know, you're more than welcome to stand a little closer if you want to warm up."

"Later, Corrin," she told him, "later."

"Something about this feels familiar," Morgan said, cupping her chin, "and I'm back to talking to myself because I'm obviously being ignored."

[…]

"Death Beam! Spiral Horn! Diamond Dust! Three Freeze! Ionic Storm! Hellzone Grenade! Fist of the Southern Skies! …No, that last one needs work."

Elise peeked her head around the corner, wondering about the source of the noise. She spotted a young blond in yellow and black tights turning to and fro and posturing grandly while he continued to shout things of a similar nature. Eventually, she took a few steps out from beyond the corner and greeted him, saying, "Hi, uh… Odin, was it? You're one of Leo's retainers, aren't you?"

The blond leapt roughly two feet in the air before turning to face Nohr's youngest princess. "Oh!" he shouted, his face growing red, "If it isn't, uh, the esteemed Princess Elise. How, uh, kind of you to bless humble Odin with your noble presence."

"What were those things you were shouting?" she asked.

"Th-That? You heard that?" he stuttered, "I mean, er, I was… pontificating on the nature of reallocating the perceptual nature of the categorization of certain dark and mystical arts via the process of reconstituting the employment nomenclature and, therefore, reassigning particular value to said arts _de novo_ in a rebirth of mystical proportions."

"You were… rebirthing some arts, or something?" she said, cocking her head to the side.

"Something to that effect. My limitless dark energies reach into the unfathomable umbra presented by these tomes and drags forth from them a power so rich and illustrious that their previous incarnations seem an ill fit," the dark mage said proudly.

"Uh, your energies illustrated the what and made who ill?" Elise continued.

"I was… I was coming up with cool names for my spells, okay?" he admitted.

"Oh," Elise said with a prolonged realization, "That's fun. Those are cool names, and the way you talked about them made them seem extra cool."

"You think so?" he said excitedly, "I mean, uh, of course they are. I am a great sage of the dark arts, of course."

She giggled. "You should try acting in one of those operas my father used to go see—you'd fit right in with the way they talk," said the princess.

"So, uh, what are you doing walking about right now, Princess Elise?" Odin asked, "Shouldn't you be planning the reform of your kingdom with your brothers and sister?"

"I was for a while," she said, looking down, "I tried really hard to pay attention and speak up and everything, but, after a while, it just didn't seem like I was on the same level as everyone else, you know? I know I'm supposed to know all about this royal stuff, but I never feel like anyone's listening to me. Xander, Leo, Camilla… even Corrin—they're all nice to me and everything, but it's like they never take me seriously."

"I think I know the feeling," Odin said, sighing.

"Anyway, what are you doing by yourself, Odin?" she asked, "Whenever everybody's in town, you're usually hanging out with Selena and Laslow."

"Typically, yeah, but… those two are both in there with Xander and Camilla right now. Lord Leo says he appreciates my skill on the battlefield, but he doesn't think I'm much of a 'policy' kind of guy," said the dark mage.

"You're better off," Elise said, "you don't have to plug your ears trying to listen to Xander and Leo see who can shout the loudest." Odin laughed.

"You remind me of someone from my homeland, Lady Elise," he said, "a princess I knew very well. She only had one older brother and sister, but she was still having trouble all the time. She was obsessed with being 'ladylike' for a while, and she was always asking her older brother about becoming a better princess… She thought that no one would ever think of her as true royalty like her siblings—that they'd think she didn't deserve her station."

"So, what'd she do?"

"Eventually, she stopped caring about what other people thought and set out to be the best version of herself she could be. And she met a certain guy and got married, and… well, you know, happily ever after, yadda, yadda, yadda."

"That sounds nice… but you didn't tell that story the cool way I've heard you telling other stories."

"Are you kidding? That's because it's the greatest story I know—it needs no embellishment! A princess determined to prove herself against all odds, a woman all her own, never compromising, and her just reward is the happy life of which she always dreamed—you can't write anything better than that!"

"You must have liked this princess quite a lot."

"I did, but in the most respectful kind of way. I always thought of her as a very dear friend, and a heroine I could look up to."

"I hope I can be worth looking up to someday, too."

"What?! Lady Elise, you're _already_ worth looking up to! Do you know who everyone credits with the starting of the Moonlight Rebellion alongside Prince Corrin? You! If you hadn't been selling flowers in the underground city, winning hearts and minds, that revolution would have been dead in the water."

"…You think so?"

"I know so."

"Do you want to go for a walk through the gardens, Odin?"

"Happily, fair princess."

[…]

By the time the trio of Azura, Corrin, and Morgan had made it to Windmire, dark was already covering the city quite thoroughly. Few people milled about on the violet and indigo pathways that spun through the town, and the walls all around still showed damage from the events of a few days prior. Gold lamps were strewn about the street to provide light, but, from a distance, they were little more than candles flickering in the vast vortex of the night. When they entered the town proper, Corrin and Azura led Morgan toward and alleyway and lifted a grate from off the cobblestone streets. A ladder led down from the mouth of the hole into a vaguely perceptible brown light. Corrin clambered down first, followed shortly by Azura, who reminded him to keep his eyes on the ground, and after them both came Morgan, pinching her nose as she descended.

They walked in silence through the underground city for several minutes, Corrin indulging in what he could only amusingly term as nostalgia, despite having been there not too long ago. He remembered the days of trawling the streets in a hood to avoid recognition and laughed, thinking that it would be impossible to hide his face now even if he tried. Several people recognized him and called to him, waving, as they packed up their shops or hurried their children toward home, and he had to concede that he didn't mind the attention.

Azura got fewer looks, and no one spoke her name, although some people's eyes did widen with recognition when they saw her. They seemed to be wondering why she was traveling with Corrin, or, perhaps, who the stranger was that was traveling with them, but none of them said anything to her.

Morgan was occupied by taking in her surroundings, gazing with some awe at the many underground structures and establishments—she scarcely noticed any looks directed her way.

She nearly bumped into Corrin's back when he stopped abruptly. "Here we are," he said.

"What?" Morgan muttered, as if awoken from a daydream. At once, she noticed the red and yellow outfit that could only belong to her mother. She took a few steps forward, up to the stall's counter, and waited for the woman to turn around.

When she did, her eyes blinked several times in rapid succession, and then her face came flying forward as she wrapped the girl in a tight hug. "Morgan," she murmured into the young woman's coat, "Finally."

"Mom, what are you doing here?" her daughter asked.

She released the younger redhead from the embrace and smiled at her. "I couldn't let my little girl go. Not after… everything that's happened. I was so worried," she said.

"I thought I asked you to forget about me, mom," Morgan said with a frown.

"I don't take orders from my children," said Anna.

"But I'm not—"

"Yes, you are, Morgan. You are as much as she is. And that's why… why I couldn't see you off without saying goodbye."

"I was planning on coming back."

"I know, but I couldn't be sure, and, besides…"

"Besides…?"

Anna sighed and snapped her fingers, then slowly wiped her hand down her face. Corrin and Azura both raised their eyebrows when they saw the ruby-red hair replaced with silver-gray and the soft, pale face be stretched by wrinkles and dark purple bags drooping from the eyes, which also seemed a bit duller. Morgan's face remained neutral, however. "What are you saying, mom?" she demanded.

"Use your intuition and figure it out. You've always been good at that."

"Mom… this isn't a good time for jokes. This is all really serious."

"I know."

"Stop making that face."

"Morgan… your father and I both love you very much. You know that, right?"

"Mom…"

"You're such a clever, strong, independent girl… we couldn't be prouder of you."

"Stop telling me this," the smaller redhead pleaded, "there's a girl back at home who needs to hear all of these things, not me."

"She's already heard, Morgan," her mother said, "I told her everything she needs to hear, and everything about you—everything that she didn't already know, anyway. And that's why I'm telling you all this now."

Tears started to fill up Morgan's eyes, "Okay, you got me, mom. It's… that's a really good joke. Do you see? I'm laughing… really hard. It's… it's really funny."

"Oh, sweetie," the merchant pulled her daughter close again, "there's no need to be so upset. It's a part of life. That's what I always told you, isn't it?"

"But… I don't want…"

"None of us want it, honey, but it comes for us all eventually. Tomorrow, one of my sisters will be here, and she'll take me home… so that I can be with your father."

"Mom…"

"Please, don't be so melancholy about it, dear. Your mother had it all planned out, like she always does. I just wanted to spend one more night with my little girl. Will you begrudge me that?"

"N-No…"

"I'm not going to distract you from your big mission, am I?"

"Never, mom. I… just wish you'd stop cooking with those stupid peppers," Morgan said, taking her mother's hand as a tear rolled down her cheek, "You know how they make my eyes water. I hate those things."

The smaller redhead slowly and gently hopped over the counter and let herself be wrapped up in her mother's arms. Anna nodded at Corrin and mouthed "Thank you" before slowly sliding down the wall with her daughter holding her.

Azura looked over at Corrin, saying, "Should we do something?"

"We should let those two get some rest," he said, leading her by the hand toward the building that had served as his home for several weeks following his self-imposed stay of execution. Reflecting on all that had befallen him to this moment, he thought it very good to see a mother and daughter reunited in that way. He knew the terror of feeling that things had been left unsaid. He hoped her father had also been able to tell her everything he wanted to, and he hoped that the evening wouldn't be too hard on her.

"Damn peppers," he muttered, rubbing his eyes.


	27. Paralogue 5: Sweeping New World

The following morning, Corrin found himself waking up quite early—although it was difficult to tell much about the time of day while underground. He felt certain that it was early based on a lingering chill that seemed to fill the air. He got up from the bed and found himself wandering around the home—frankly, it was more like an apartment—for a few minutes. It was impressive how still things were at that time of day: no one walked the streets outside. The only noise was from vendors setting things up, ready for their first customers of the day. Corrin's thoughts wouldn't have lingered much with merchants but for the fact that he knew one had made her last sale the previous evening.

He kept walking through the rooms and smiled upon finding evidence of how quickly his posse had packed up when the time came to head off to Cheve—the last time he had spent any length of time in this place: the volume of crumbs on the floor was something Jakob would deem completely unacceptable, cushions on sofas and pillows were squashed, chairs were pushed in and pulled out seemingly at random, and even dragged to completely separate parts of the building. Draped over one such chair, the prince found the dark hood he had used to disguise himself so long ago when Elise, Felicia, and Jakob were his only true companions. He felt it a bit ironic that, despite so much evidence of life, everything in each room except the bed in which he and Azura had slept was ice cold, having been abandoned for well over a week by now. What a sad and quiet world it was to be living somewhere that was surrounded by the ghost of life.

When the prince turned around to retrace his steps through the kitchen and back into the bedroom, he found Azura waiting in the threshold, looking a bit like a specter with her white dress flowing behind her. "What are you up to?" she asked in the voice of a mother seeking her lost child.

"Reminiscing," he said, glancing once more at the hood on the chair.

"Fond memories," she said, smiling, looking back to examine the mess that remained on the dining room table.

"Oddly," he agreed, "I even remember how you were too shy to speak to me here. Or, was it shyness? Or were you still in that mood about being afraid of telling me what you knew?"

"The line was blurred a long time ago," she said, "I was always a little reserved as a young girl, but, knowing what I know… it never really helped, suffice to say. I can say that I'm glad I no longer have to keep secrets from you."

"Royalty have to stick together," he said, coming closer and offering his hand.

"Tell that to the court of Nohr," she replied, "The former court, anyway."

He frowned, saying, "I'm sure life was difficult for you, Azura, but that's a time long past. The world around us has changed—for different reasons, it's not the same world that either you or I used to know, and it all began with our victory. To move forward, we're both going to have to change, too, and that means you have to start trusting people again."

"And what does it mean for you?" she asked.

"It means I have to start putting myself aside for the sake of others," he decided after a pause, "I made a big decision to get what I wanted, now it's time I help others do the same. Incidentally…"

She laughed a little and accepted his hand. "So, what's our next step?" she asked.

"First, there's a woman who's had a rougher night than any of us, and she's going to need our help," said Corrin.

Azura nodded, and in a few minutes, they were out the door, walking a few streets down and watching the first few people also begin their slow processions through the long corridors. They stopped at Anna's stall, noting the red and yellow banners, and hopped behind the counter. They faced a dark wooden door with a black metal knob and very little else to distinguish it as a door, almost hidden behind the shelves for displaying inventory. Corrin knocked on the door three times and waited.

It swung open loosely, and the redheaded young woman emerged from behind it, wavy maroon hair hanging down in front of her face, which was aimed at the ground. "Her sister came already," Morgan said, "she's gone. She'll be buried beside my father. It's good that way… they loved each other very much."

"Morgan," Corrin said in a murmur, "I'm so sorry for what happened to your mother, but Azura and I have lost our parents, too. If you need someone to talk to… we're here."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," she said, lifting her head so that Corrin could see her warm coffee-brown eyes, "You didn't do it. It was going to happen eventually, anyway. I just figured if I ran away, I wouldn't have to confront it again, but I guess a mother's love is strong enough to transcend worlds." At this, she gave a little laugh that almost sounded like actual amusement.

"What do you mean, 'confront it _again_?'" Azura asked, cocking her eyebrow.

"I've seen a lot of trouble in my time, Corrin, Azura," she said, looking at them both, "I've seen a lot of people hurt, and even watched some of them die… I sometimes wonder if I'm not just bad luck."

Azura lifted her hand to reach out to her, saying, "Morgan, that's not true. I've felt the same at times, like I've lost everyone, and it's all my fault, but there are some things that just can't be changed, and you can't hold yourself responsible for them."

A smirk tugged at Morgan's left cheek. She said, "Thank you, Azura, but I don't really need the big speeches. Same goes for you, Corrin. I've heard them all, and even given a few myself—more importantly, I know why I'm here. Losing my mother is… difficult, but, like she said, it's a fact of life. People are born and they die all the time, what matters is what happens between those times. It takes seeing the kinds of things I've seen to really understand that. My mother did a hell of a lot of living, and I plan to follow her example. For one, I'm going to find my husband and help you protect this world of yours."

"You don't need to concern yourself with us if it's too much, Morgan," Corrin told her.

"Nah," she said, "I've played the role of 'mysterious protectress' a few times now, I'm kinda getting used to it. In fact, I think I like it—it makes it easier to leave before things get too emotional."

"This isn't a short or easy engagement you're signing up for," Azura said, "Are you sure you're up for this, Morgan?"

"I'm not going anywhere for a while," she replied, "it sure beats fighting off braindead whackjobs every day for so long I'm about three steps from going crazy."

"We're grateful for your help, Morgan," said Corrin, "but there's one other thing you should know: that place we were in, the place of mine and Azura's birth… you can't mention its name to anyone out here in the surface world. If you do, a curse will cause you to evaporate like a puddle in the sun."

"A curse that prevents people from saying certain things, huh?" said the redhead, stroking her chin, "I remember somebody who cast something like that once… she probably wouldn't be able to reverse such a powerful magic, though… All right, duly noted. Ixnay on the Erworld-Othay."

"Good," he sighed, "With that settled, now we just have the delicate matter of speaking to my siblings after leaving without a world for a few days."

"Sounds fun," said the redheaded girl, smirking and folding her arms, "I'm right behind you."

They left the house connected to the stall, Morgan locking the door as they went out, and each hopped over the counter again, onto the road and toward the surface.

[…]

"Princess Sakura."

She lifted her head to see King Xander staring back at her. She took a deep breath and wiped a few strands of her out of her face as she prepared to speak. "I-Is something wrong?" she asked.

"It's been a few hours of non-stop negotiating," said the king, smiling a little, "I think all of us are looking a bit ragged. Why don't we suspend things here, and I'll treat you some excellent Nohrian food with the rest of my family. We can resume the negotiations once we're feeling a little more rested."

"That would be… nice, I think," she said, nodding appreciatively. She, Xander, Camilla, Leo, and all of their retainers rose from their seats around the table, as did a few of Nohr's nobles who were assembled in the room for the settlement of resolutions affecting the outer kingdom. One by one, they were led out the door by Jakob, who called out for Felicia as he left the room first. He hoped that she hadn't managed to ruin the meal.

He heard a reply he couldn't possibly have anticipated: "I'll let her know."

When the butler turned his head to respond to the male voice that had thrown him off his guard, he was even further bewildered: there was his liege, standing in the middle of the hall alongside Azura and a strange redheaded woman he'd never seen before. The rest of the Nohrian royals exhibited similar shock upon exiting the meeting room.

"Corrin!" Xander called, being the first to approach him, "Where in the Dark Dragon's name have you been? We searched high and low through all of Nohr to find you!"

"I'm sorry," he said, "I took… a kind of brief vacation. Azura and I… we found we had some catching up to do, and quite a lot to discuss."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean," his elder brother said, "and who is this other woman here with you? Don't be coy, Corrin, just tell me what's going on. I promise, I'm not angry."

"I hope you stay that way," Corrin said under his breath. "Let's see," he said, "the woman beside me is named Morgan. She's come from a far-off country to help aid in Nohr's reconstruction. Otherwise, Azura… er, well, maybe it's best if you just take a close look at her hands."

"Her hands?" Xander said as he cocked an eyebrow. She lifted them so that the king could see, and his entire face jumped with shock. "That ring," he said, "Corrin, that was the ring gifted to you as a member of the royal family… it's to be given to…"

"The one I choose to be my wife," Corrin finished his sentence, "I'm well aware, Xander."

"Well, I can't say I'm not surprised," he said, straining to keep his tone neutral, "but, then again, it's not as if I didn't notice some sort of kinship between you two… even your histories are similar. Perhaps you were simply fated to be together. All the same, it does seem a bit, er… sudden."

"To you, maybe, but I've thought about this for quite a while," said the prince.

"What are you fussing over, dear Xander?" Camilla said, pushing past him, "I've just seen my sweet little brother, and now you're going to get in my way?" She smiled down at Corrin and looked over at Azura, tracing the line of her brother's sight to find what he was staring at so intensely. Her eyes widened as she saw the jewelry, and she took a half-step backward. "My, my," she muttered, "oh, my, my."

"I know it may seem a bit out of the blue, but… it'd mean the world to me to have your blessing, all of you," Corrin said, "Xander, Camilla, Leo, Elise… I think Azura and I can be very happy together, and I think, after all she's done, she deserves a place at the table of Nohrian royalty."

Azura said nothing and continued to exchange stares with Camilla. Xander was also looking at her for some reaction, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Well?" Camilla eventually said, "Have you gone mute, girl? What are your thoughts?"

"M-Me?" she stuttered, surprised to have the momentary silence broken.

"Yes, you," said Nohr's eldest princess, "My beloved brother has asked to wed you. I presume you agreed, since you now wear that ring."

"I… I did," she said, "I must admit to having a great fondness for Corrin as well."

The purple-haired princess folded her arms, saying, "I see. In that case, I hope to see the depths of this 'fondness' you express… I won't allow any girl to hold my darling Corrin's love if I find her undeserving."

"Camilla, don't be ridiculous," Corrin said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I assure you, my devotion to Corrin is unflinching," Azura said.

"Ah, but you were raised among those dreadful Hoshidans for so long, can we really be sure that you don't hold a greater affection for one of them?" Camilla insisted.

"That's not fair," said Corrin, shaking his head, "Azura decided to leave Hoshido not long after I did. She's been with us—at my side in particular—longer than anyone but Elise and my retainers. I won't hear you questioning her loyalty, big sister. Please, can't you just get along?"

Camilla smiled, saying, "Well, of course we can, because my sweet brother insists that it be so. I just want to make certain that little Azura will perform all the duties and give unto you all the respect and affection that are expected of a proper wife."

"I'm more than capable," Azura said, balling her fists and glaring a little more intensely at the elder princess. With a sudden spark of determination, she whipped her head around, flinging her long periwinkle locks everywhere, and seized the back of Corrin's head and neck to kiss him. She let the kiss linger an extra few seconds before pulling away with an exaggerated sigh to make it sound like the effort had expended all her breath.

Corrin's cheeks began to swell red as he looked down at her, then up to his sister, "Er, so you see, nothing to fear. Ha ha…"

"EEEK!"

They all turned their heads to see Elise charging down the hall. She flung herself at Corrin and grabbed him in an embrace, spinning around one half-turn with her sheer momentum. "That was _so_ cute! This is _so exciting_! Xander, Leo, Camilla, isn't it great? Our brother's getting _married_!"

This display forced all of the Nohrian siblings to tacitly admit that, yes, it was great and yes, they were very excited. Corrin looked down and smiled at his little sister, and was surprised when she winked at him knowingly. "You sound even more excited than me, Elise," said Corrin."

"Ohmigosh, you _have_ to tell me what you're going to wear—you especially, Azura. And what food shall we serve? We'll need to have something for delicate appetites and… ooh, what decorations will we use? Something white and fancy to pair with Azura's dress, maybe… something swanlike, oh, and we'll need to fix up the stage…" Elise carried on.

Corrin and Azura exchanged glances, with Corrin shrugging.

"Pardon me… did you say… getting married?" Corrin turned to look past his siblings and saw Sakura peeking her head between them.

"Ah, Sakura!" he exclaimed, "When did you get here?"

"I was a-asked to handle the peace negotiations," she replied, "I've been here since morning."

"It's… good to see you again, little sister," he said with a hopeful smile, "Can I still call you that?"

"W-Well," she stuttered, " _I_ don't mind particularly, and I'm happy to hear about your news, but, um… part of the reason for my presence here is to give you… um, I guess you'd call it a warning."

"A warning?" Corrin said, furrowing his brow, "I thought you said you were here for peace negotiations."

"I am," she said with a nod, "but my brother—that is, King Ryoma specially requested that I make one term clear, and to refuse to take 'no' for an answer regarding it. Corrin, by official proclamation… you're no longer welcome in the kingdom of Hoshido."

The Nohrian royals were silent while Azura let out a little gasp. Corrin only frowned, "Ryoma's that upset, is he?"

"I… understand where he's coming from, even if I disagree," said the Hoshidan princess, "King Xander did kill our sister, a loss that the whole kingdom is still feeling, and many Hoshidans blame you for the death of Lady Mikoto… In fact, people have taken to calling you 'The Prince of Traitors' and burning you in effigy at festivals. To bring you back to Hoshido would be to incite a riot."

"I never realized it had gotten that bad," Corrin said, his head drooping.

"People are often angered by what they do not understand," said Xander, "I hope you won't be too upset with me for accepting that term, Corrin."

"Not at all," he said, "it's an obvious choice for any king of Nohr, to have only a single _persona non grata_ after a war like that, though I still find it… disappointing."

"I'm… still very pleased to see that you and Azura ended up together, for what it's worth," Sakura added, trying to infuse a little hope into her voice.

"Thank you, Sakura," Corrin replied, "I know they probably won't want to hear it, but please tell King Ryoma and Prince Takumi that, despite what's happened, this was never personal, and that I bear them no ill will. Naturally, the same goes for you."

"I'll pass it along," she said.

"Well, what shall it be, 'Moonlight Prince?'" Xander said, giving his brother a faint smile, "We were about to break for some refreshments… will you join us, both in that meal and afterward, in discussing the reconstruction of Nohr?"

"I've been thinking about that for a bit, now," Corrin said, "and I'm not sure. I'd love to help with Nohr's reconstruction, but, at the same time, some other, more personal concerns have appeared that I'd like to deal with." He finished this by looking at Azura and carefully putting his arm around her waist.

"How strangely amusing to see my serious brother all wrapped up in _affaires de coeur_ ," Xander said, smiling a bit more broadly, "I have a suggestion, in that case: can you, perhaps, stay with us for the first year or two of Nohr's reconstruction? You've become something of a folk hero to these people, and to have you at our side rebuilding our nation's glory would be an inestimable boon to our efforts—not to mention, the news of a royal marriage would be a signal of great peace and comfort to a nation still recovering from war and infighting. If you helped for that time, I should think no one would be too upset if you simply… slipped out for a few weeks or months at a time for more personal endeavors. Is that acceptable?"

Corrin turned from his eldest brother to Azura and searched her eyes. "It has been a long time since anywhere in the world felt at peace," the blue-haired princess said with a long sigh, "and I do think that we owe it to ourselves to enjoy that peace, at least for a bit." She placed her hand in Corrin's saying, "Let me learn what it's like to be a princess of Nohr in this new world you've created, and perhaps we'll both come out of it more prepared for what lies ahead."

Corrin shut his eyes and smiled. "This is good," he said, "at long last, I've got all my family together, and no wars to fight. It feels like I was in another world the last time I felt like this."

"New worlds are born with every step taken," said Morgan, mostly to herself. At that moment, she felt something invisible and intangible pullulating. It was not the pullulation of two divergent, parallel, and finally converging entities, but an wavelike disturbance prefigured by them in some way.


	28. Paralogue 6: Into the Gray

And so, at the end of that period Nohrians would later term "The Long Night," the Vallite prince taken in by a Hoshidan king and later kidnapped by a king of Nohr settled in alongside his Nohrian family, resolved to protect the adopted homeland that had treated him so kindly despite the unseemly circumstances of his arrival in that country. "The Moonlight Prince" was a much-beloved figure of the Nohrian revolution that unseated "The Empty King Garon," so called because of his descent into madness in the final days of his reign. He would be succeeded by his son, Xander, who proved a capable heir, ruling with firm conviction, an even hand, and a caring heart.

That last category might have been helped by the presence of the Moonlight Prince, as well as the king's youngest sister, Elise, both of whom helped to address the concerns of the poorest echelons of Nohrian society and were much beloved for it. Many Nohrians were overjoyed to learn that Prince Corrin was soon to be wed, not realizing that his marriage was to Princess Azura, who many had reviled less than a decade ago for her mother's effects on King Garon and the court of Nohr. Azura endured some lingering skepticism about her character and the hypocrisy of those who now thrilled in her taking a spot in Nohr's court, well enough, however, although she was rarely beside her husband when he went out to join in efforts to reconstruct Nohr. She was satisfied to remain in the dark and love him when no prying eyes would intrude, and to otherwise leave him to his affairs while she stayed away from scrutiny.

This is not, however, to diminish the roles of the other Nohrian royals: King Xander's excellent handling of post-war negotiations with Hoshido managed to settle both nations' mounting tensions for some time and returned the level of discourse between both countries to a civility not seen in several decades. King Xander also restored the full sovereignty of the Ice Tribe, although the tribe thereafter swore continued allegiance to Nohr, and the king even established a protective treaty with the devastated Wolfskin tribe to ensure the species' continued survival. This effort was met with begrudging support from Chieftain Keaton and his few surviving followers.

The nations of Cheve and Nestra also renegotiated their positions with Nohr, earning new rights and trade benefits that would go on to support the economies of both nations. Xander had little time to carry on the tradition of seeing Cyrkensian operas, so his eldest sister attended them in his stead. Speaking of which, Camilla was seen precious little in the court, but she remained a charismatic member of the royal family who was often called upon to lead cultural or economic events, sometimes along with her younger sister.

The youngest prince of Nohr, Leo, refused to settle down even following the revolution—he continued to serve as a valuable advisor to his eldest brother and, in Xander's absence, took it upon himself to act as instructor and disciplinarian for Nohr's military academies: anyone who expressed doubt in his proficiencies was met with a swift and severe punishment, not the least of which included running the entire length of the walls of Windmire.

In addition to acting as a representative for Nohr's impoverished populations, the young Princess Elise was also groomed for military and strategic leadership by Leo. She protested the lessons at first, but she quickly became respected as one of Nohr's most capable strategists, even giving her tutor a run for his money. She retained, however, the caring and warm affectation that drew so many to her.

A new sense of happiness and optimism began to penetrate Nohr where it had never been conceived before. Soldiers and citizens of Nohr alike recovered their pride in their homeland and became more prepared than ever to go on defending their country and fostering all that they had come to love within it. In spite of a lack of light, diligence and care had caused a beautiful bloom to flower between the cracks of the darkened soil upon which Nohr had been built.

As his youngest sister aged and his nation recovered, the Moonlight Prince retreated from the public eye, his role gradually eclipsed. The time came when he was scarcely seen at all around the kingdom, but there was no despair among the public, for they had many new preoccupations upon which to focus their attention: birthrates had increased all around Nohr following the revolution, and the wave of fruitful unions was not limited to the kingdom's commoners: all four of Nohr's royals were wed and had children within years of one another. Xander was the first, under pressure from some in his court to produce an heir amid the prosperity of what came to be called the Nohrian Reconstruction. The king eventually proposed to a girl of modest background who he'd met in Cheve not long after rejoining his brother before their final campaign against King Garon. This woman was called Charlotte, and she soon bore Xander a son who he called Siegbert—all of Nohr rejoiced.

Leo had managed to capture the attention of one of his sister's retainers throughout their sometimes-volatile discussions in negotiations—Selena became the second woman to marry into that generation of Nohr's royal family, and she and Leo enjoyed a complicated but ultimately happy relationship that was the source of much gossip among the Nohrian citizenry, including but not limited to theories about arguing to get themselves in the mood before going to bed. Leo sired a son who he named Forrest, and who took a rather quick fascination to his mother's clothing.

Camilla resisted the affections of her brother's best friend for a few years, dismissing them as a mere boy's crush, but she slowly began to accept the depth of the knight Silas's affection and married him on the condition that they spend very little time at court and more time roving the open country, appreciating the beauty of Nohr and its surrounding territories. Silas complied, and in a few years, Camilla gave birth to a girl named Sophie, whom she began to dote on even more than she had her siblings. The trio became an instantly-recognizable attraction as they traced their path through Nohr, and demonstrations of Sophie's riding prowess were beloved by Nohr's commoners.

Elise was the last to marry, both due to her age and her rigorous education, but her union was nonetheless a happy one. Just as Leo captivated one of his sister's retainers, Elise curried the attention of one of Leo's retainers: Odin. The two shared a mutual youthful energy that distinguished them from the rest of Nohr's court and yet, as they grew older, Odin even managed to suppress his more theatrical nature to act as a proper Nohrian prince—the blond hair meant he blended right in. Elise eventually gave birth to a daughter named Ophelia, and the girl showed inclinations toward her parents' jovial attitudes. She, too, became a much-adored gift to the common people of Nohr, affecting the same sort of sunny joy that both her parents had provided.

For as much as the dim moonlight of Nohr seemed to brighten as the years passed, however, the stars over Hoshido became increasingly pale and dull. The nation remained prosperous as ever, but many were upset by the losses they had faced thanks to the ill-conceived military campaigns against Nohr. Of note, many Hoshidans grieved for the loss of Princess Hinoka, who they considered a source of strength for the nation as much as their new king. Naturally, the loss of Queen Mikoto also weighed heavily on the shoulders of the Hoshidans, who all felt as if their family had taken a collective blow. The effects of this depression could been seen everywhere: sanctions from Nohr caused disruptions in Hoshido's economy, leading many to lose employment, and thereby causing production to decrease. Stagnation and inflation worsened the troubles Hoshidans faced, and the immaterial nature of these problems had an all-too-real impact on the behavior of Hoshidan citizens. Hoshidans would say Nohr had tried to bring them down to their level—Nohrians would say Hoshidans were being given their first taste of reality in over a century of abundance.

Still, not all was despair in Hoshido: the nation enjoyed relative peace following the conclusion of the war, and for most, life continued generally unperturbed following the conflict. Merchant and military families suffered the most from Hoshido's defeat, but the nations many, many agrarian-oriented citizens were largely unaffected. Hoshido also continued to receive tacit support from the Wind Tribe, although they lost their previously positive relationship with the small kingdom of Mokushu, which joined the small monastic Izumo in its pursuit of complete neutrality regarding both major kingdoms.

The remaining royalty of Hoshido all eventually married and produced heirs, providing some small comfort to the people: the new King Ryoma, of course, was the first expected to produce an heir, and he did so with his retainer, Kagero—they had a son named Shiro, whose mild thick-headedness was a source of some embarrassment to his parents, but grew to be admired for its purity among the commoners of Hoshido. Ryoma was still greatly affected by the results of the war with Nohr, and so his reign was characterized by slow action or a complete lack thereof: some would later say the new king simply lacked the will to do what was necessary for his kingdom at times.

Princess Sakura, who was the main go-between for the court of Hoshido and its citizenry also married the other of Ryoma's retainers, Saizo. The son they raised was given the name Asugi until he his father decided he had adequately earned the right to take his name. The boy had a predilection for theft and stealth from an early age, pilfering sweets from his mother and local vendors, occasionally landing him on the wrong side of the law—this became a favored topic of gossip among Hoshidans.

Much attention was cast on Sakura and Saizo, in fact—to the extent that they became sort of a celebrity couple that Hoshidans constantly had their eyes on, much to Saizo's dismay. Ryoma and Kagero ruled quietly, only appearing in public occasionally to make proclamations or to attend the marriages of his siblings. To that end, Prince Takumi did eventually return to his home following a long absence, mentioning a need to reassess his priorities in the wake of his defeat at the hands of the man he once considered a brother. Not unrelatedly, Takumi earned a following of his own as a hero of the war while his elder brother remained silent—he became hailed by some as the "true son" of Hoshido by those who disliked the passive and quiet nature of Ryoma's rule.

Takumi, not unlike his elder brother, married one of his retainers, Oboro. Between them, they had a son named Kiragi, who was in many ways the opposite of his father: a popular, optimistic figure around whom all felt accepted and comfortable. He quickly became a favorite of Hoshidan commoners and visitors to the nation alike. The presence of three male heirs did, however, concern some Hoshidans about the possible future inheritance of their nation's crown. Only time could provide the answers to the questions raised.

In a moderately-sized villa on the Nohr-Cheve border, away from the glitz and glamor of the life of Nohrian nobility, Laslow, one of Xander's retainers settled with a young woman who had seemingly appeared from nowhere. A woman with ruby-red hair, a passionate soul, and an acerbic wit joined him in his simple retired life, and she was called Morgan. Between them, they raised two children—a girl who sported ruby-red hair and an immovable smile just like her mother, and a more mischievous and sarcastic boy with blue hair: they were called Soleil and Liam, respectively. The four of them lived in relative peace and happiness for several years, Morgan and Laslow both occasionally making calls on the royal family of Nohr, which now included fellow retainers Odin and Selena, making for a powerful circle of friends. They both knew, however, that their peace was fragile, and not meant to last. Someday, they would be called upon to face a force much greater than anything the world they knew could have offered.

In a world far removed from all of these happenings, a young man and a woman embraced one another in a destroyed, abandoned house near the edge of a cliff. The Moonlight Prince and his wife, Azura, came together in defiance of the threat posed by the dragon Anankos. Slowly, however, they realized that there was little to be done against the dragon that was within their power. Corrin knew that he would need to employ the assistance of his siblings from both Nohr and Hoshido, but he feared with his banishment from the latter that the bridge between him and his Hoshidan siblings had been irreparably burned, and that thought made the idea of Ryoma and Takumi ever standing alongside him with their divine weapons seem nearly unattainable. Azura comforted her husband, noting that she never expected perfection, and that the two would somehow be able to turn the tide in good time—they only needed to let Xander and the rest of Nohr get stronger and, eventually, they would be able to save their world. For the time, Corrin had already prevented Anankos's schemes: when the time came, he would do so again. Amidst the optimism they both felt, they slowly lost focus on Anankos and his minions who ravaged the land and took a greater interest in one another. Not long after the two returned to Valla, Azura gave birth to a son. Shortly thereafter, she also had a daughter. These two were called Shigure and Kana, respectively, and they were both well loved by their parents, even if no one else knew they existed.

Shigure was a bit troubled by his surroundings, and often asked his parents about the state of the world and why it was that every other human seemed interested only in harming them, whereupon he would receive piecemeal explanations from each parent, who felt that their son was not yet ready for the whole truth. Kana was a free-spirited girl, contrarily, and so she never worried much about the unfamiliar shapes that lived just beyond her home. She took a greater interest in animals, insects, exploring valleys and rivers, and, of course, in music. She didn't quite share her mother or her brother's talent for singing, but she made up for her lack of skill by practice in volume—she sang all the time without prompting from anyone. Valla's youngest princess was doted on considerably by her father. In time, as Shigure had more of the world of Valla explained to him, he was taught his mother's song and how to sing it properly, in the event that he someday might need to put it to use. His mother prayed that day would never come. From his father, Shigure learned an appreciation for literature and, by extension, the arts—he became particularly fond of painting, and his parents happily did all they could to support that hobby.

Unfortunately, as both Corrin and Azura might have predicted, their peaceful life with their children could not continue as long as Anankos was still present, and a small slip was all that was necessary to upset their lives forever. One day, when little Kana ventured too far beyond the boundaries established by her mother and father, she was accosted by one of the slaves of Anankos, who proceeded to follow the girl as she fled in fear back to her home. Corrin slew the foe quickly, but he and Azura both realized what his presence meant: their home was no longer safe, and neither were their children. Knowing where they were, Anankos would stop at nothing to kill them all, and so the parents decided that they would protect their children and the people of the world above by sending the children away and continuing to police Valla from a different location. With determination burning in their eyes, each decided to take one of the children to a different side of the world to keep the dragon from effectively hunting them down.

Corrin traveled back to Nohr, appearing rather unceremoniously to his eldest brother for the first time in years, his daughter in his arms. He complimented Xander on the goatee he had grown and apologized for missing so much, but explained that he needed to leave his daughter, Kana, in Xander's hands for a time, and that he could not afford to explain more. Xander accepted, more than a little shocked to discover that his brother had a daughter. Corrin told him that he also had a son, but that this son, named Shigure, would be taken elsewhere for his protection. Xander asked his brother if he had any words for his other siblings before departing: Corrin simply replied that he wished them all the best and apologized again for failing to be present for so much of their lives. He expressed a wish to rejoin them all in Nohr shortly. With that, Xander saw his brother off, and the prince disappeared over the horizon.

Azura wasn't sure how she would be received when she entered the court of Hoshido, so she decided to travel at night. She surprised Ryoma—or, more accurately, she surprised Kagero, who was keeping watch and alerted her husband to Azura's sudden presence. The Vallite princess was pleasantly surprised to hear that Ryoma bore no grudge against her, especially when he was informed that she had married Corrin—he had always known there was some love between them, and it would be impossibly spiteful of him to resent someone he still considered a sister for following her heart. Azura then asked the prince to take care of her son, Shigure, as she needed to leave him for reasons she could not yet explain. Ryoma was a bit suspicious, but he was reminded that Azura's motives had always been a bit mysterious to him, so he accepted the proposal on the grounds that she would someday elaborate upon what had caused the need for such actions. She also told the new king of Hoshido to look out for a girl named Kana who had blue hair like hers, for she was her daughter and was also being sent away for protection. Ryoma swore to do so, and Azura left and vanished from Castle Shirasagi as quickly as she had appeared.

At the end of the world, two lovers took each other's hands and prepared for the inevitable.

In a darkened castle, a young woman sat, lamenting the loss of a mother and father she could now only recall in vague memories.

In a lighted hallway, a young man stared out a window over the land, constantly reciting questions and never being able to concoct an answer to satisfy them.

Kana's head turned: she saw Siegbert coming through the door, wearing his same banal smile. "Pardon me, Kana," he said gently, "would you come with me? Father says he has a task for all of us."


	29. Checkmate

Kana had grown used to the dark, high walls of the castle. She remembered vague images of younger days spent running through brilliantly-lit fields of shimmering grass and white-and-blue skies that were utterly beyond compare, but those days had disappeared along with the majority of the memories she retained. Cerulean and emerald were replaced with sienna and moss, the colors she found in the darker forests surrounding the castle, and she was only allowed to play out among them for short periods of time, although she was pleased to find there were at least twice as many squirrels and rabbits in those forests, if not more. She had always found she had a bit more in common with the animals bouncing lithely through the woods and stopping to stand and twitch their noses than she ever did with people, who spent a lot more time talking and posturing. She liked the silence of the forest: it reminded her of a time even she could not properly recall.

But for right now, she had been stuck inside. She tried to pick up a few of the books from the shelves in her room, but they were all old, full of musty smells, and not particularly interesting to her. She had tried in earnest to read several of them in her lifetime, but they all spent so much time discussing war, strategy, and personal advancement or ambition that they simply couldn't hold her attention—how she longed for the books of poetry she had heard about, the long exultations on nature and the like, now _that_ would be some fine reading. She was a little thrown off when Siegbert entered without knocking, but his appearance broke up the boredom, so she wasn't too upset with him.

Siegbert was somehow both plain and regal-looking: he had a very round head, helped by an equally smooth bowl-like shape to his blond hair. The only thing that distinguished his hair from his head were some long, unruly curls that spilled out the back of his head, over his collar, usually. He wore black and gold plate armor and a purple scarf around his neck, copying his father's look, but his eyes and face were far softer than that of King Xander, so Kana was never startled or unnerved by him the way she was occasionally by his father. She stood up when he came in and announced that the king wanted something from them. "Does he need me, too?" the blue-haired girl asked.

"That would be why I came into your room," Siegbert said with a genial smile.

Kana smiled back and moved toward the door. Siegbert turned around as she began to follow him and started walking down the hall to the chamber that was set aside for his cousin. "Father tells me he found you playing in the gardens again after curfew, Kana," Siegbert said, not looking back.

"You're not going to lecture me about that too, are you?" she groaned.

"No, no," the prince said with a good-natured laugh, "but those rules are in place for a reason, Kana. You must take care, even on the castle grounds, or you could be hurt."

"I know," she said, "You don't have to tell me. If I get hurt, it's my own dumb fault, isn't it?"

"Of course not," said the prince, "As crown prince, I consider the wellbeing of everyone in this castle to be strictly my responsibility, since my father is busy with his many other duties. If I'm to ever match up to his qualities as a leader, I must be able to take care of such a small population. As such, I would consider it a personal failing if you were harmed due to a failure to observe the rules."

Kana stayed silent, feeling a little guilty. She folded her hands together and followed her cousin.

As they arrived at Forrest's door, Siegbert knocked and waited for the other prince of Nohr to open the door: when he did so, he grinned at them. "Siegbert," he said happily, "how can I help you?"

"My father has requested your presence, as well as that of our cousins for a mission of sorts," Siegbert said, "Will you please come with me?"

Forrest agreed and stepped out. He turned back and smiled at Kana. Forrest had been an oddity, if not a source of scandal in the family for many years since he took a liking to more feminine clothing. Nohr's youngest prince had a falling out with his father at one time for wearing his red hair in long curls, and dressing himself in pink, frilly outfits and a bejeweled pink beret. This flagrant disregard for his appearance, Prince Leo had said, made his son an embarrassment in the Nohrian court. When Leo saw how much work his son did for the people of Nohr (including providing free medical services and mending clothing) as well as how he took up all the noble pursuits of his father in an effort to prove his worth, Leo eventually turned this criticism back on those who had initially lodged it: what had they done to earn the right to critique a young man who worked so hard on the basis of what he wore? Their relationship had remained complicated since then, but Forrest always knew he had his father's respect, if nothing else. Forrest carried himself with pride and a smile wherever he went.

"Still wearing that tattered old scarf?" Forrest said, looking at the blue triangle folded over Kana's collar.

"It's special to me," she said, "I've had it since I was little."

"I just wish you'd let me mend it a little," said Nohr's youngest prince.

"Nope," Kana said, putting her hands over the fabric protectively, "no touching. It has to stay as is."

Forrest sighed hopelessly as they continued through the castle's halls. They got to Sophie's room and, again, Siegbert knocked on the door and waited for her to answer. The amethyst-haired girl pulled the door open with a big smile, saying, "Howdy, Bert!"

"Please don't call me that," Siegbert said, his cheeks turning pink, "His majesty has requested our presence. Would you be so kind?"

"Oh, sure," Sophie said, stepping out of her room and nearly tripping over the small gap between her floor and the carpet of the hall, "I need to feed Avel, anyway." Avel was Sophie's trusted steed, and was the only entity capable of making Sophie look even less coordinated than she already was. It wasn't entirely her fault, though: Avel was the only animal even Kana wasn't comfortable being around alone. He had a tendency to bite at the bun in her hair when no one was looking, which had led to no less than two incidents wherein Kana was left crying as her hair was messily chopped in order to free her from the horse's grasp.

Kana had also spent a lot of time with Sophie's parents, Camilla and Silas. King Xander, she felt, was a sort of father to all the royal children, but his time was limited, and so he was a bit more like a distant grandfather. Camilla and Silas, on the other hand, seemed to have no end of time for Kana—when they were at court, that was. The two of them spent quite a bit of time roving the countryside with their daughter, but when they came back to the castle, they always had gifts for Kana. Camilla would snuggle with her when she lay down in bed each night and sometimes read her stories about old kings and knights. She didn't care much about the stories, but Camilla's voice was sweet and soothing, and she exuded a perfumed warmth that made Kana comfortable enough to feel like she wasn't quite so alone in the castle for a while. Silas, a fellow with keen green eyes and a funny-looking cowlick at the front of his silvery hair, taught her to fence, ride a horse, and wield a regular knight's sword. He also took her on picnics with his wife and daughter, letting her get better glimpses of the countryside. She remembered a particular weekend she'd spent learning to fish near a mountain glen.

By the time Kana had finished thinking about those past adventures, Siegbert was knocking on Ophelia's door. She came out, flinging the door open and letting her long blonde hair fly everywhere. "Hark!" she proclaimed, "The fates told me of your arrival! What errand brings you to my domain, good cousin?" As she spoke, a triangular ornament worn on a ring around her head swung quickly.

"Er, my father would like us all to undertake some duty. I came to ask if you'd accompany me downstairs," Siegebert replied, having narrowly managed to avoid being hit in the face with the door.

"Splendid!" exclaimed the princess, "One can only wonder what marvelous adventure awaits from such an auspicious command. The Maiden of Dawn, Ophelia Dusk, will oblige your request."

"Wonderful, thank you," Siegbert said quickly. He returned to the front of the group and led the children down toward the front of the castle.

"Maiden of the Effervescence," Ophelia whispered, turning around. This was he nickname for Kana, after they had spent time playing near the mouth of a river and Ophelia had noted how much Kana's hair seemed to match the color of the water. "How did you find the mystical tome I lent you?" she asked.

"It was, er, enlightening," Kana said. Ophelia had been trying to teach her about casting magic. Thus far, it hadn't gone well, unless one considered accidentally burning down one of the castle's stables to be progress.

Finally, they all gathered together in the king's chamber. Here, Kana got a full view of King Xander, a tall man with wide shoulders accented by onyx-black armor that sported gold trim. His hair was long, wavy, golden, and hung down near his shoulders, although it didn't quite touch them. His eyes were sharp and narrow, as were his cheeks and jaw, and he had a coarse but neat goatee covering his chin and upper lip. "Thank you for gathering everyone, Siegbert," he said, "Children, I have a very important task for all of you: I'm asking you to go to Hoshido, to meet with the new generation of royalty there. It will be important for all of you to meet and become familiar with the royalty of Hoshido to ensure positive relations between our nations continue. To that end, I expect all of you to be on your absolute best behavior. Am I understood?"

Several of them answered with a "Yes, sir," while Ophelia bowed grandly, Kana just nodded, and Sophie ended up saying "Uh, yep," a bit later than everyone else.

"Very good. Now, to ensure your safety in the event of some malfeasance," Xander said, slowly leaning back, "I'll have General Silas accompany all of you. While you are traveling, you will heed his every order as if it were my own, understand?"

They all agreed again as Silas stepped out and waved at Sophie and Kana.

"Very well," said the king, "I have nothing further for you, then. You may return to your rooms and gather your belongings for the voyage, but please remember to pack light—this is not a sightseeing tour."

They murmured their compliance and dispersed back into the upper floors of the castle. Before Kana could leave, however, she was arrested by the king calling her name. "Your Majesty?" she said, turning around.

"You know you don't need to use such formalities with me, Kana," he said, "'Uncle' will do just fine."

"What is it, uncle?" she said, playing along.

"As you well know, Kana, you are not my child," said the king, losing some of the authoritative volume that usually supplanted his voice, "Nor are you the child of any of the Nohrian royals in this court. That fact may make your presence here strange to you, and, I'm sure, leads you to wonder who your parents are. I can also imagine that it has made you feel terribly lonely at times, and for that, I offer my sincerest condolences."

"I've… learned to accept all that," she said, "It's fine."

A smile stretched across the king's face. He said, "I knew a little prince who once expressed a similar sentiment. Then he fell into my arms and cried about it for an hour. I know it may not make you feel better, Kana, but I want you to understand that you have always been considered a member of the Nohrian royal family, because I consider you much like my own child, though you belong to another pair of parents. I know both of them personally, and I know that they did what they did for your benefit."

"Why don't you ever talk about them, then?" asked Nohr's littlest princess.

The king's face soured. "While I know _why_ they left you here," he said, "I can't be sure how they are faring even now… it's been quite some time since I last saw either of them, and my heart aches for them both. To put it as best I can, Kana… I don't want you to be… disappointed."

"If something's wrong, why don't I just go help them?" she said, cocking her eyebrows.

"I can't claim to understand everything I was told, Kana," King Xander said, shaking his head, "but I can tell you that whatever it is those two went about combatting, fighting those battles wasn't the life they wanted for you. That's why you were left in my care. I hope you don't resent either me or your parents too much as a result."

"I don't resent you at all, King—er, I mean, uncle," Kana said, "and I'm not really _resentful_ about anything, so much as I just want to know… why."

"I wish I had all the answers, Kana," the king said with a sigh, "I always find myself wishing that."

"Thank you, uncle," Kana said, "I appreciate everything you've done for me. Now, I think I should start gathering my things."

"Of course," he said, lifting his head, "Hurry along. Safe travels, little princess. And remember: never fear—all of Nohr stands with you."

She nodded and hurried out of the throne room.

"She's a lot like him," Silas said as the doors shut behind her.

"You have no idea," Xander sighed once more.

[…]

A ruby-red-haired girl swung her sword quickly and ripped a hole along the dummy's chest, causing a pocket of white cotton to spill out onto the ground. "Gotcha!" she whispered to herself, "Now, we can safely assume you're bleeding, so the next thing to do would be to go for your—there!"

She leapt to swing again, but stopped halfway when she heard the sounds of footsteps approaching. She turned around to see a silver-haired man walking up toward the house, a hand over his left eye. "Hey dad!" she waved, "What's going on? Something wrong with your face?"

"Where's your brother?" he said rather irritably.

"Inside," she gestured with her thumb, "What's up? What happened to your eye? C'mon, lemme see!" She grabbed his arm and pulled it away, revealing a deep purplish bruise around the covered eye. "Ooh," she started, "nice shiner! Where'd that one come from? Get into a scuffle in a tavern or something like that?"

"Something like that," he repeated, "Now, don't mind me, get back to what you were doing. I need to have a word with that brother of yours." She shrugged as he went inside the house. As the door closed, she jumped at the dummy again.

"Liam!" Laslow shouted on entering the room, "Get down here immediately!"

A set of feat came trudging down the stairs and, in a moment, a boy with jagged-looking royal blue hair was looking up at him. The boy's eyes were also a watery blue, with muddy-looking clouds of brown near the pupils. They were eyes that were rarely ever fully open. He wore a thin white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of tan trousers, some black shoes that were formerly his father's, and a black cap covered the back part of his head, letting the rest of his hair shoot out forward like a fern. His hands were dug into his pockets. Despite his loose clothing and slack posture, the boy had a decently muscular figure and was only about a head shorter than his father. He folded his arms behind his head to affect lounging, asking, "What's the good word, pops?"

"Don't give me that," his father scowled, "did you do those math problems I asked you to?"

"Oh, sure," he said, lax, "It wasn't easy, but I got 'em figured out." Removing one of his hands from his pockets, he handed a folded scrap of paper to his father, who unfolded it and read it over, then closed it, satisfied.

"Is there anything else you did today that you feel like telling me about?" Laslow said, tapping his foot expectantly.

"Not sure what you're driving at," Liam replied.

"Then let me spin you a quick yarn," said Laslow, "Do you remember that woman you told me about? The little farmhand with the caramel hair who was singing my praises when you went to pick up the milk—that one?"

"I remember telling you something like that, yeah," his son answered.

"Well, I went and asked her to come have tea with me," Laslow said, folding his arms, "We went to a lovely little café not far out of town and were having a great time of things—"

"Sounds aces, pops. Can I get back to my room now?"

"Not yet. Listen: things _were_ going fine, until, suddenly, her father showed up out of nowhere. Now, she's an adult woman who doesn't have to worry about her father's supervision, and it wasn't like he accompanied her there, he just _happened_ to show up at that same time. Now, he went and got the wrong idea, and when I tried to explain that I was already married, it just made him angrier. That's when I got this nice little present," the silver-haired man said, pointing to his black eye.

"Wow," Liam said, not sounding the least bit impressed, "That's quite a run of bad luck. Run into any black cats today?"

"No, but before he almost knocked my eye out of my socket, the farmer mentioned that a blue-haired boy had told him that the café was offering chicken seasoned with spices from the Wind Tribe today—the old man's favorite. Of course, that wasn't true, but that is quite the coincidence, don't you think?" Laslow said, glaring at his son.

"Why do they always have to go blabbing?" Liam sighed.

"What was that?" his father said, leering at him, "Did this happen to have something to do with you, son?"

"Well, you see, dad, the thing about that is…" Liam took a step forward and, removing his hand from the pocket that had not held the sheet of paper, he threw a cloud of shimmering dust into his father's face. As Laslow shouted, the blue-haired boy pushed past him and threw open the door, barreling out into the street. "Don't mess with a guy who always plans ahead!" Liam called back as he ran out. Laslow jogged blindly after him, rubbing his eyes furiously.

"Get back here!" his father shouted, "I'll show you planning—you can plan on spending the rest of your life locked in your room!"

Soleil watched them run out, blinking. She shrugged and took another swing at the dummy.


	30. Shared History

A fist connected with the man's jaw. The shock of the hit dropped him to the ground, spitting a small quantity of blood. Several onlookers gasped, and a few of the men took a step forward as the assailant, loomed over his target's fallen form. As he knelt to deliver another blow, he felt his arm restrained and turned around. Behind him stood a man with golden eyes, fair skin, and pale blue hair that extended in a long wave covering one half of his face. "Friend, stop this, won't you?" the mysterious man said.

"He tried to steal from me!" the attacker complained, gesturing toward the fallen body.

"He was hungry, I bet," surmised the blue-haired man, "Come now, step back."

Feeling an odd sense of calm on looking at the man's face, the attacker relented and stood back up, taking a few steps away from his enemy. As he moved, the blue-haired man lifted the fallen man to his feet and brought forth a white feather to wipe the blood from his cheek. "I know you," said the blue-haired man, "You are the one called Faris, are you not?"

"Yes," Faris replied, blinking rapidly, "Good Cadros, you've helped me again… I cannot describe my gratitude."

"No need," Cadros told him. The blue-haired man looked to the rest of the small crowd that had gathered to watch the spectacle, including the man who had attacked Faris, "We are all of us humans, are we not? What use have we for such strife? We must serve those who care for us faithfully, and let one another live as we will—only in so doing shall we retain the peace with which we have been blessed."

The people murmured a few different responses to these statements, but all of them quickly returned to what they had been doing, including Faris's attacker. Faris himself simply scurried off with one more nod of thanks toward Cadros. Cadros, too, turned to leave, but he was approached by another blue-haired man: his face was obscured with a long, gray hooded robe that fit him loosely. "They listened to you," the obscured figure said, as if to himself, "That's interesting. Humans—that is, people, can be so stubborn. I've rarely known to listen to anyone but perhaps their kin."

"They only need to be reminded of what's important," Cadros told him, "most folks have no desire to harm one another—they simply forget for a moment. The only trouble is the sort of things that can happen in such a moment."

"Indeed. Still, you seemed to be able to affect them rather profoundly. How did you do that?" the concealed man asked.

"I know not," Cadros said, smiling, "Others have described seeing serenity in my eyes, but all I have ever attempted to do is remind people of their shared humanity."

"You _are_ interesting," said the figure.

Cadros pinched his chin and stared at the figure for a moment, then said, "I've come to know many of the people who live here, but you are unfamiliar to me, stranger. Will you give me your name?"

"I… don't know that that would be wise," the figure replied.

"Very well," said Cadros, shrugging, "but you have nothing to fear from me, friend." They were both distracted as they heard a small group of children laughing as they scrambled over each other chasing a ball down the street. Cadros heard the figure sigh wistfully, and he turned his head back to the hooded man, saying, "Children are delightful in the purity of their joy, are they not?"

"They are," he answered, "I only wish I could share in such joy."

Cadros laughed, saying, "If you wish to play with the children, I believe they will happily accommodate you."

"Do you… think so?" he said, continuing to stare.

"Certainly. Have no fear," Cadros said, wrapping his arm around the figure's back, "we'll approach them together, friend."

"That term," the hooded figure said, "What is it? I know not its meaning."

"Truly?" Cadros's said, eyes widening, "A friend is… hm… one who is treated like family, though they share not your blood."

"I see," the figure said, "and you consider me to be such?"

"As do I consider all beings who stand beside me," Cadros said with a smile.

[*]

"Yo, Shiggy. Time to get up."

Shigure lifted his head and saw his cousin Asugi standing in his doorway, arms folded. "Asugi?" he murmured, "What time is it? What are you doing?"

"You've been sleeping in," Asugi told him, "so I was sent to get you. Now, c'mon. Uncle Ryoma's got something to tell us. Apparently, some of the Nohrian royals are coming here soon."

"Nohrian royals?" Shigure said mostly to himself. He hadn't heard much about the royalty of Nohr. In fact, much of Nohr was a taboo subject of discussion for the people of Hoshido, who were still embittered by a defeat they'd suffered at Nohr's hands some time before his birth. This was a source of frustration to Shigure, who could vaguely recall his father speaking of Nohr in great detail, though he had never seen it. Shigure spent a lot of time trying to recall everything that his mother and father had spoken to him about, but he could never make any sense of it—it consisted entirely of legends and histories of a place that now, he found, didn't even seem to exist.

The Hoshidan prince tried to turn his thoughts to what the royalty of Nohr would be like: he had heard a few people whisper about the great, menacing figure of the Nohrian King Xander—he had even once seen a drawing of the man that made him look like a lion riding on the back of darkness itself. He longed to see that figure in person, and perhaps to capture his own portrait of the man.

Shigure and Asugi head arguing as they walked out into the Great Hall. One voice carried over to them first, "No, I'm telling you, all it needs is a little hint of salt. Maybe some lemon juice if you're feeling adventurous, but that's it."

"Boring, boring, boring," the other voice replied, "You gotta spice it up! Roll it in some potato starch and deep fry it—ooh! Or you could lightly brush it with some wasabi…"

"What? Wasabi's for tuna and other kinds of fish—putting it on chicken is sacrilege!"

"Still debating the finer points of life, I see," Shigure said as he came closer, "You'd never know you two were royalty."

"Aw, don't be that way, Shigure," Kiragi said, beaming a smile at him.

"Yeah, if you want us to wrap it up, help us end this: what's the right seasoning to use on chicken?" asked Shiro.

"I have no formal opinion," he said, rubbing his neck. His cousins scoffed at him.

"How 'bout you, Asugi?" Shiro called to him.

"I like to drench mine in honey," he answered.

Shiro paused, then said, "You gotta dial it back with the sugar obsession, man. That's just not healthy."

"Good morning, everyone," Sakura waved to them as she stepped out into the hall, long dress bobbing with her feet.

"Hey, mom," Asugi said. The others extended quick salutations, too.

"I made some tea with Subaki earlier, won't you all take some?" she said. As she did so, the red-haired pegasus knight brought out a tray with four small cups of reddish-brown tea on it. The children walked up to him and took the drinks, each taking a sip. "I put a bit of honey and extra sugar in yours, Asugi."

"Thanks, mom," he said, downing it happily. Shiro leered at him again.

"Aunt Sakura," Shigure said, "is it true that we'll be meeting the royalty of Nohr today?"

"That's what I was told," she said.

"You've met some of them before, haven't you? What are they like?"

"Oh, I don't think you'll be meeting any of the princes or princesses that I met—you'll be meeting their sons and daughters. Something about preparing the next generation of royalty for lasting peace, that's what I gathered from Ryoma."

"I see," Shigure said. Damn. Well, perhaps one of them could still make an interesting subject—did King Xander have a child? Maybe he or she would do.

"Have you seen my old man, aunty?" Kiragi said after lowering his cup of tea, "He went out last night, and I haven't heard much from him since. He's been doing a lot late at night, actually, now that I think about it…"

"Sorry, Kiragi," said Sakura, "Ryoma has kept me pretty busy these past few weeks—I haven't really had time to speak to your father."

"That's okay," he said, "I just hope he doesn't miss all the excitement!"

"Good morning, children. Sakura." The group turned back to the front of the room to see Kagero walk out in front of the Hoshidan throne. She wore a gold, star-shaped crown like the statue of Lady Mikoto that stood in the courtyard, and it stuck out against her black hair. "My husband will be here in a moment, so please, come closer," she said.

They did so, and, as promised, Ryoma came out from the same door she had, wearing a neutral sort of frown—Shigure had started to think that expression was painted on his face. "Thank you for being here, everyone," said the king of Hoshido in the commanding voice they had all learned to honor, "As you may have heard, today boasts a special honor and opportunity for our kingdom: the next generation of Nohr's royalty will be arriving at Castle Shirasagi today. This will mark the first time Nohrian royalty has entered Hoshido since before any of you were born, so it's very important that you treat this event and the Nohrians themselves with the utmost respect, understood?"

They agreed.

"Shiro," his father said, eyeing him, "I expect you, in particular, to be on your best behavior as Hoshido's crown prince. Please try not to embarrass the kingdom and myself as you did with that representative from the wind tribe."

"How was I supposed to know they were _prayer_ beads?" Shiro said, rolling his eyes.

"Not important," his father told him, "just do as I say, all right? Best. Behavior."

"Yes, sir," he said begrudgingly.

The Hoshidans spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon bustling about the castle, preparing for a banquet that would be served upon their visitors' arrival. The sun was high in the sky and shone white against the blue and made the entire capital seem to shimmer outside the windows of Castle Shirasagi. There was a sort of buzzing energy that could be felt by everyone in the castle as they awaited the Nohrians, who were running a bit behind the scheduled time. It wasn't the feeling of being on edge, but rather a sense of desperate excitement, like waiting for a relative to return after a long voyage. At least, that was the feeling Shigure got, though he didn't know anything about the Nohrians.

Finally, after several long, tiring hours spent waiting, Ryoma summoned the children to the castle's entrance, where two Hoshidan guardsmen waited and, on the king's command, pulled open the doors to the castle.

They were a bit different than Shigure had been expecting: at the front of the group stood a young man with rounded blond hair that ended in some ragged curls along his neck and shoulders; behind him stood what Shigure assumed was a woman until he heard an unmistakably male voice thank one of the guardsmen for their assistance; then there came a girl with purple, unkempt hair who was nervously looking around, a girl with golden-blonde hair whose eyes were wide and full of wonder and, finally, he was struck upon seeing a girl with pale blue hair not unlike his own.

It was only then that he remembered. So much of his memory had been dedicated to recalling the words and appearances of his parents that he had almost forgotten the presence of a short little girl who wore her hair in a messy bun that she insisted on fixing herself every time, despite the fact that it left strands of her hair poking out everywhere. He had forgotten about his sister. And now, looking at this girl, who was eyeing him rather curiously as well, he wondered if he wasn't finally seeing her after all these years. If so, what else would she remember? If not, why did she look so similar? His head was swimming.

The Nohrian's were escorted by a friendly-looking man with silvery hair and soft green eyes. His face was hard and a bit jagged, but he still looked quite warm and approachable. "Your Majesty, King Ryoma, may I present, Crown Prince Siegbert, Prince Forrest, Princess Sophie, Princess Ophelia, and Princess Kana of Nohr," he said, extending his hand to isolate each child in the order in which Shigure had seen them enter. "I am General Silas, in charge of the children's wellbeing for the duration of this venture," he concluded.

"Well met, General Silas, and you, princes and princesses of Nohr," Ryoma said, stepping down from his throne, "Be welcome in Hoshido. May I also present to you my son, High Prince Shiro of Hoshido, and my nephews, Kiragi, Asugi, and Shigure."

The Nohrian children came forward and shook hands with their Hoshidan counterparts while also taking stock of the rest of the castle. Shigure greeted most of them without thinking, but his mind started racing again when Kana came to him, offering her hand. "Shigure, right?" she said, a little smile on her face, "Like Silas said, I'm Kana. It's an honor to meet you."

"L-Likewise," he stuttered.

"Something wrong?" she said, looking at him inquisitively, "I don't have anything on my face, do I? That'd be embarrassing."

"No, it's not that," he said, straining, "I just… do I seem familiar to you at all, Kana?"

"Hmm," her cheeks moved side to side as she thought, "Nope. I mean, your hair's pretty close to the same color as mine, but that's probably just a coincidence, right?"

"Probably… Say, Kana, would you like to sit beside me at the banquet?" he asked.

She giggled. "That eager to start becoming friends, huh?" she said, "I think I like you Hoshidans. You're a lot less stand-offish than some of the Nohrian nobles."

As both groups completed their introductions, Ryoma called their attention again, "Now then, in order to demonstrate our appreciation for our guests, the royal family of Hoshido has prepared a banquet that we hope will restore your vitality following your long journey. We'll discuss accommodations afterward."

None of the children needed much provocation to enter the castle's dining hall and sit at the long table that had been prepared for them. They sat down and began to eat, chatting with one another as their mouths began to fill up with food.

"So, High Prince Shiro, how do you go about filling your time?" Siegbert asked.

"Uh, I lift a lot of rocks and weights to strengthen my arms," he said over a mouthful of octopus, "I remember there was one time I held a heavy naginata perfectly balanced between my hands for a whole day just to prove to my dad that I could."

"I see," Nohr's crown prince replied, "and what about services to the public? Do you patrol small villages? Bring clothing to the poor? Help the elderly harvest their crops?"

He scoffed. "Why would I bother doing any of that stuff?" Shiro shrugged.

"That's a lovely vest you're wearing, Prince Kiragi," said Forrest, "Was it made special for today?"

"What, this?" he laughed, tugging on it, "Nah, I wear this all the time. I go hunting in it, mostly."

"Hunting?" Forrest said, cocking an eyebrow, "Oh, my."

"How'd you get those bruises on your elbows, if you don't mind me asking," Asugi said, looking over the table at Sophie as she took a bite of her food.

"My horse, Avel," she said, swallowing, "he gets a little rowdy sometimes, so I end up falling off. No biggie, though—I'll be a great rider like my daddy one day!"

"Well, you've got spirit if nothing else," Asugi said.

"I beg your pardon," Ophelia called out to the redheaded prince. "What are these most divine and delectable pillows of the goddesses which you have served us, O Prince of the White Light?"

"Oh, got a taste for the sweet stuff, eh?" Asugi said, smirking as he looked at the food she was holding, "That's called 'mochi.' It's like a bun stuffed with sweet bean paste."

"Sweet beans?" Ophelia said, staring at the pastry. She bit it, and her eyes glowed. "O rapture! Shall wonders never cease?" she exclaimed, "This must surely be the work of a divine confectioner of unparalleled acumen!"

"Not sure what you're saying, but I think I like your style, Goldilocks," said Asugi, taking one of the mochi.

"Who is your father, Kana?" Shigure asked.

"Funny thing about that, I've never met him," she said, "not that I can remember, anyway. My Uncle Xander—the king, that is—told me that my papa dropped me off at the castle late one evening for some unknown reason. He made Uncle Xander swear then and there to protect me, and so I grew up with the rest of the Nohrian royal children."

"I see," he said, trying to hold himself back, "You know, my story is similar: I was brought to Castle Shirasagi and left here by my mother, although I've never learned why. My Uncle Ryoma has taken me in as one of the royal family ever since."

"Huh, weird," she said, poking at her food but not eating it, "Do you know something I don't, Shigure?"

"I'm not quite sure yet," he said, "but let me ask you another question: do you believe in fate, Kana?"

"That depends."

[…]

The air outside Castle Shirasagi was calm and still. Some Hoshidan citizens walking through the marketplace stopped and spared a look at the small cadre of Nohrian soldiers who were waiting at the base of the entrance to the castle, a few making small talk with the Hoshidan guards. The brilliant white statue of Lady Mikoto gleamed in the sunlight.

Beyond all of that, a single pair of boots walked steadily toward the castle, long rows of stern-faced Hoshidans falling in behind him.


	31. Silent Ripples

"Hey, everyone!"

As Shigure and Kana continued their conversation, they were suddenly interrupted by a voice from outside the castle.

Recognizing the voice, Ryoma rose from his seat at the table and went to the window behind him; Sakura and Kiragi also got up and followed him, trying to peek over his shoulders as he looked out.

There could be no doubting it: out in the middle of the square, mere steps from the statue of the late Queen Mikoto, Takumi was standing, waving up toward the castle, his Fujin Yumi slung around his back. "Ryoma!" he called "I'm back! Bring everyone out here, I want to conduct that ceremony we were talking about!"

Silas had risen from his seat, too, as the Hoshidan prince began speaking, and now the general threw a quizzical look at the Hoshidan king when the "ceremony" was mentioned.

"There was another statue in that space many years ago, before the war," Ryoma explained, "but it was destroyed in the very attack that sparked that conflict. It was decided that a new statue would be rebuilt, honoring the great woman we lost in that attack. When he heard about the Nohrian royals arriving, he proposed the idea of having them all place their hands on it, along with the Hoshidan royals, as a sign of solidarity."

"I didn't think Prince Takumi would be very pleased to have Nohrians in his homeland," Silas said, glaring sternly out the window.

"He's… actually made a lot of progress," said Sakura, "he's gone on several journeys for the purpose of self-discovery and, well… he's not perfect, but he's not the same rash boy you might have known, General Silas."

"Come on, Ryoma! This'll be good for everyone!"

The king's eyes widened as he looked down again. "Sakura, do you see that?" he asked.

She nodded. "I can't remember the last time I saw Oboro so happy," she said, "maybe we should oblige him, then."

"Well… what say you, General Silas? You're the chaperone," Ryoma asked.

Silas stroked his chin in thought before saying, "May I safely assume that you have guards around this area? That is, nobody around would think of doing anything… _rash_ , would they?"

"You have my word that they will not," said Ryoma, "There's no one in Hoshido foolish enough to want to jeopardize the peace we have now, tenuous though it may be."

"All right," Silas said resignedly, dropping his arms, "let's get on with it, then. Children! We're going to participate in a brief ceremony at Prince Takumi and King Ryoma's request."

Slowly, the Nohrian children all stood from their seats and followed Silas out the door, the Hoshidan children not far behind them. They marched out into the square as onlookers started to fill the area around the statue of the fallen queen. The Nohrian's lined up along the statue's right-hand side, while the Hoshidans assembled to the left. Takumi stood out in front of them all, watching them get set. A few of the Nohrians, especially Silas, gave him uncertain looks.

Oboro sighed as she leaned into her husband. "So much better than all the pain and violence, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied, "it seems like we're finally approaching a solution to all that today. The vision hadn't quite materialized in my head until just now." He lifted his hand to lightly rub the dark eyepatch that covered his wound.

Ryoma walked out among the crowd beside his brother and instructed all the children to place their right hands upon the statue. They did so, all watching the brothers to see what would follow.

"Children of Nohr," Takumi said, making himself a bit bigger for the crowd, "I thank you for appearing here today, as I know my brother does. Having participated in the war that divided our nations some two decades ago, I must confess it's strange to me to see you all standing here now, sons and daughters of people I once called enemies. Time has passed, however, and the wounds of war have begun to close. There are those among us growing up, now, in a world where the pain of that era is but a distant memory."

Ryoma, Oboro, and Sakura smiled as they watched Takumi step a bit closer to the children.

"However," Takumi continued, his smile fading, "there are those among us for whom the scars of that conflict will never heal. And that is why I stand here today."

Oboro was pushed off her husband's shoulder, and Sakura and Ryoma exchanged worried glances. "Brother, where are you going with this?" the king asked of the prince.

Takumi said, "Seize him." At once, a group surged out of the crowd and grabbed Ryoma's arms, restraining him. "For too long," the prince continued, "we have been made to suffer at the hands of leaders who lacked the conviction to do what must be done. I, too, was once afflicted by the same sentimentality as my brother, but no longer—I see the world for what it is now, and I know that no self-respecting Hoshidan can ever make peace with a Nohrian after what they did to us!"

Silas grabbed Siegbert's shoulder, saying, "We're leaving."

"Not so fast," Takumi pointed to him. The prince raised his hand and several archers appeared from within the crowd, pointing their arrows at the Nohrians.

Ryoma struggled against those restraining him while Sakura was also seized. "Argh, guards! Don't just stand there, do your jobs!" he ordered.

"Quiet, you weak-willed fool!" Takumi shouted, "Your men see your feebleness, and they've decided they want a change. They work for me now."

Ryoma growled as the guardsmen around the square nodded solemnly. A few came over to help restrain him.

"You see, this is what happens when you ignite the passions of your people, Ryoma!" Takumi said, looking out over the crowd and clenching his fist, "They're tired of being harassed and taken advantage of by the scourge of Nohr! They're tired of being culled by the whims of its power-mad kings! They're tired of being afraid!"

"That's right!" cried a male voice from the crowd, "My son was killed by Nohrians, and I went bankrupt after the war! I can barely feed my family now—I'll never forgive Nohr for what they've done!"

"My mother was praying at a shrine when she was cut down by one of those Faceless abominations," said another voice, this one female, "How can I make peace with the people who allowed that?"

"I fought on the front lines," added another voice, "I watched so many friends be killed… the only good Nohrian is a dead Nohrian!"

"I feel your pain, good people," said Takumi, nodding at them, "I lost my mother, my sister, and, in a way, my brother to Nohr. I have never forgiven them for taking my loved ones away. So, I say we make them feel the same shock of tragedy—let's see how Nohr likes it when they lose five of their children in one day, not to mention a general."

"Yeah!" shouts came from the crowd, "Death! To! Nohr! Death! To! Nohr!"

The prince pulled the Fujin Yumi off his back and nocked it, lining his arrow up with Siegbert's head. "I hope hell will give you even a small taste of my suffering," he said, loosening his fingers.

Before he could give the command to fire, however, one of the archers was knocked down with a cry. Takumi lowered his bow to seek the source of the disruption, only to see another group of soldiers tearing apart the crowd. They shoved or stabbed civilians in their way and cut into the archers who had been waiting there, rushing toward the center of the square. The Hoshidan prince looked over his other shoulder to find the same thing happening on the other side of the crowd. He watched the assembled archers quickly tumble in the confused consternation. "Argh, fools!" he grunted.

Taking advantage of their good fortune, Silas began dragging Kana and Sophie away from the square—the rest of the Nohrian royals followed closely behind them.

"It's them!" shouted a voice from the crowd, "Nohrian spies were lying in wait! They're butchering people!"

The crowd became more clustered and confused as some people fled from the assailants and others rushed toward them, frequently bumping into one another while some were still being killed by the attackers. Others hurled stones or whatever small projectiles they could at the fleeing Nohrian royals. The Hoshidan royals were herded back into the castle by Ryoma, who had managed to break free of those who had restrained him. Takumi sank back into the crowd, sighing.

"We have to get out of here!" Silas shouted, "We'll have to tell Xander!"

"Where do we go?" Siegbert asked, "I can still hear them coming after us!"

"The Bottomless Canyon!" Silas answered.

"What?!" Forrest shouted, "But father told me that place is incredibly dangerous!"

"Exactly!" said Silas, "If they're afraid of the terrain, they won't follow us! Plus, it's the most direct route back to Nohr from here—any other way and we risk capture miles away from the Nohrian border!"

"All right," said Siegbert, "we're right behind you, General Silas. Please, lead the way!"

[…]

The children and Silas didn't stop riding away from the Hoshidan capital for even a moment. As they approached the dark, pallid mass of stones that signaled their entrance into the Bottomless Canyon, their steeds were becoming quite tired, plodding along more lethargically now. Silas did his best to keep his horse moving at an appropriate speed, but the beast was breathing heavily and simply would not move faster. He was tense as his head swiveled around, surveying the group frequently to ensure no one had been lost.

As he did so, he noticed Kana seemed to be lagging behind—her small gray horse was moving quite slowly and rearing every so often, forcing the girl to hold onto the beast tightly and just try to keep it moving, even if she couldn't control it. Silas cursed himself for not spending more time teaching her how to ride. He looked at the others, who, while equally nervous, seemed to have full control of their horses and were moving steadily enough. He turned his horse around and rode back to Kana, explaining his action in passing to Siegbert, who took the lead in his place.

"Kana," he called to her, "Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine," she said, "but Tina here is all out of sorts. I can't—" As she began to speak, the horse reared again, neighing loudly and almost throwing her off. Silas looked up into the black mass of clouds swirling overhead and grimaced. Flashes of lightning darted between the clouds, and he assumed that must've been responsible for spooking the horse.

Not a moment later, he heard footsteps and turned to see other riders approaching them. Normally, cavaliers would be a relieving sight, because Hoshidans mostly rode pegasi, meaning that normal cavaliers would signal approaching allies, but they were coming from behind the group, on the Hoshidan side of the border, and Silas hadn't left any men behind. The riders were in full gallop, rushing toward the Nohrians ahead of them with weapons raised. Silas felt a chill creep down his neck, and he called to the Nohrian children: "All of you, spur your horses now! Move as quick as you can, and don't look back for a moment!"

The outburst almost immediately caused the children to disobey the second order, but they realized the significance of the command and leaned forward, pushing their horses to the beasts' limit and fleeing the canyon in record time.

Kana had time to look at Silas to wonder what he seemed so frightened of, and when she turned to line her vision up with his, she understood: the riders were breaking out onto the bridge that they had not finished crossing. Silas and Kana's eyes both narrowed as they heard a terrifying _snap_ that meant the bridge had collapsed under the stress, and, in a moment, they fell screaming into the dark abyss that waited below.

[…]

When Kana awoke, she rubbed her open palm on her face instinctually. It was only after a few seconds of rubbing her skin that she realized what she was doing. She opened her eyes and had to blink rapidly to adjust them to the light. She pushed herself out of the grass she had fallen into, blades of it falling from her armor, and looked up into the sky, seeing streaks of blue that looked more like an ocean. She glanced all around and marveled at the floating, grassy islands that surrounded her.

"Am… Am I dead?" she asked herself, opening and closing her fist. She pinched her arm and was surprised to feel pain. "Ow! Well, I'm not dreaming," she said, "but… I fell down the canyon… A fall from a height like that would kill anyone, so… is this what the afterlife is like? I still feel completely myself, so that's bizarre… the only thing I don't remember is the fall. I blacked out, but I remember I was screaming my lungs out…"

She continued to think aloud as she walked, staring at the uniform grass, the semi-random island formations, and the curious-looking sun-bleached ruins of pillars and other architecture that occasionally dotted the landscape.

"K-Kana?"

She turned around, stunned to see Silas walking up toward her. "Silas!" she called to him, "Where are we? What happened to the canyon?"

"I'm sorry to say, I have no idea," he said, "This place is strange. I feel… off-balance here, like I'm being held by my feet."

Kana nodded, agreeing with that assessment and wiggling her own feet to compare the feeling. "It looks like there were houses here once," said the princess, jabbing her thumb at one of the ruined structures she had passed, "or something."

Silas scrutinized the ruins, declaring, "Those are some odd building materials for houses—that's the sort of stuff you'd save for… for making old temples, like the one to the Dark Dragon in Windmire."

"But defacing those walls is sacrilege," Kana said, "Who'd want to destroy them? That's just asking for bad luck."

"Maybe whoever lives here isn't too worried about what the gods have in store for him," Silas said, frowning at the ruins.

Suddenly, the two heard footsteps in the grass, followed by muffled groaning, and they turned to see a samurai and a knight walking toward them. The two shifted in and out of visibility, like the bottom of a river as the sun shone upon the water. As Kana stared at them, she noticed there seemed to be an odd pinkish aura emanating from them, and even their eyes seemed to be glowing pink or purple. She shouted, "S-Silas! What do we…?"

"Behind me, Lady Kana!" he shouted, jogging toward her as quickly as he could. When the two attackers approached, the samurai lunged first, but Silas managed to draw his blade quickly enough to block the attack. It did not save him, however, from having his head smashed by the blunt of the knight's lance. He fell to the grass and groaned.

Kana stepped slowly away from the assailants, trying to pull out her sword. "S-Stay back!" she shouted, "I know how to fight! You'll be sorry if you come after me!"

Before she could decide her next move, she was blinded by a glint of gold that was replaced with a black shadow: somebody had hopped in front of her. "Away with you!" the figure shouted. He leapt forward and swung a blade that also glinted gold, but had an eerie kind of purplish aura. The blade easily toppled the samurai, and when the knight tried the same maneuver he'd used on Silas, the figure grabbed the lance before it struck his head and snapped off the spearhead as he clenched the wood in his fist. With that done, the figure leapt up again, poised himself on the knight's shoulder, and drove his blade sideways into the gap exposing the knight's face until he fell backward, sputtering.

The two attackers slowly faded in a spectacular display of that crackling, pinkish aura and a shower of what looked like blue bubbles and seafoam. Kana turned her head from them to her rescuer and found him staring at her with wide eyes. "Kana?" he said quietly, as if hearing it might upset her.

"You know my name?" she replied.

"Gray eyes, pale blue hair in a bun, and that scarf… there's no doubt about it, huh?" said the strange man.

"Mister," she said in protest, "who are you? How do you know my name? Stop ignoring me and tell me what you're doing!"

"I'm sorry, I just… can't believe you found your way back," he said.

"Back?" she repeated, "What do… wait… are you saying…"

"I'm your father, Kana," he said, kneeling down to her level.

"What?" she started, "That's not possible. My papa, he—"

"Gave you to Xander when you were little," he finished for her, "I know, my little Kana-bun. I was there. I spend every night of my life thinking about it. I'm… so sorry. You must have missed me and your mother terribly."

"You… you can't," she continued to protest.

"It's okay, honey," he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, "I know it's quite a shock, but there's no need to worry, it's the truth."

She felt a lump in her throat as she noticed that the man's collar gave off an undeniably familiar and nostalgic scent. As she felt the scent envelop her, she could also hear a strange and enrapturing melody, sung by a voice too faint to place, but too real to ignore. Her chest was stirring with warmth—something about being cradled in this man's arms felt right. Something that she had been missing for longer than she could remember had finally returned to fill the hole that had been left in her heart. She lifted her head from the embrace and looked into his eyes: they were red, but not angry—rather, they seemed very compassionate, and she could see that they were shimmering in the daylight.

He cupped her cheek, and she felt it, too, grow warm as his hand dwarfed that half of her face. "Everything's going to be just fine. Papa's here," he said, stroking a bit of moisture away from her eye with his thumb.

She felt her head grow heavy and she fell into his chest, sobbing and heaving.


	32. The Waters Change

"Blast. Steady on now, Regent," Siegbert said, stroking the horse's mane. It ignored him and repositioned its feet, grunting angrily and shaking its head. "Too tired?" the crown prince guessed, "I know I've been working you hard, but we've got to keep moving."

Regent grunted again and scraped at the ground with one hoof.

"Drat," Siegbert sighed, hopping out of the saddle and landing beside the beast. He gave his horse a frown, but Regent didn't seem too impressed, as he went about tossing his head again. For the first time since hearing Silas's direction, Siegbert turned around and looked back to his cousins. "He won't move," he explained to them briefly, "but… we _are_ across the canyon now. Perhaps we can take a break, General Silas?"

The others looked back at him, eyes all looking a little low and tired.

"General Silas?" he repeated, looking over his cousins' shoulders to see if the general had been concealed behind one of them, "Oh. Oh, dear. General Silas… did he…?"

"He _did_ tell us to run without looking back," said Forrest, "maybe he meant to… er, spare us."

"No," Sophie shook her head, "That's not true. My daddy's just fine. He'll come riding up here any second. He was probably just, um, checking to make sure they weren't still following us. I'm sure if we stay here, he'll just come right up…"

"Ophelia, where is Kana?" Siegbert asked, walking down the line of his cousins.

"The, uh, Lunar Princess appears to have evaded my hawk-like vision, absconding to some distant vision erstwhile we did ride in a blur beyond her," said the blonde princess.

"Ophelia, please speak clearly," he insisted.

"I… I don't know," she said, her head low.

Siegbert's eyes trailed to the ground, saying, "Oh, gods. Have I… have I failed so grandly already? Have I lost one of the Nohr royal family and a trusted Nohrian general because of my lack of vigilance?"

"Th-They haven't been 'lost!'" Sophie protested, "Do you see bodies? Me neither—so we don't know what happened!"

"Sophie," Siegbert said with a frown, "I know this is difficult for you, but we can't idly speculate. In times like these, we have to assume the worst…"

"Says who?!" she shouted, "My daddy's fine! Fine, I tell you! He wouldn't fall so easily to a bunch of nobodies—cowards!"

"All right, Sophie, all right," Forrest said soothingly, coming over and placing his hand on her shoulder, "That's enough. And Siegbert, quit antagonizing the poor girl."

"My apologies—I didn't mean to—"

"I know you didn't. We're all very tired and afraid right now, so it's natural that we're stressed and not thinking properly. Why don't we try to rest for a bit and get our heads back on straight, and then we can figure out our next move."

"A… wise assessment as always, Forrest. Yes, let's all try to get our bearings for a minute."

Sophie continued to stand and stare back at the entrance to the canyon with Forrest gently rubbing her shoulder. Siegbert straightened out his hair and kept his eyes pinned to the ground. Ophelia sat down and tucked her knees in close to her head, wrapping her arms around them.

[…]

"Are you okay, honey?" he said, patting her back, "Are you settled down? Everything's all right…"

"Yes," she said, moving away from him and rubbing her eyes with her sleeve. They were red now, but not like her father's. She looked contemplatively at the thin, wet streaks she'd left on his armor as she lifted her head, "I'm okay… I…"

"I know," he said with a half-smile, "it's a lot to take in. Everything about this—I've been in about the same position as you. In fact, looking at you, you remind me quite a bit of myself. I'm shocked to see how big you've gotten—it wasn't for no reason that I used to call you my little Kana-bun."

"Papa," she said slowly, "I have… so many questions. How did I get here? What is this place? What are you doing here? Why did you leave me with Uncle Xander? Oh! And where is mama?"

"I can answer all of those things, but it's best if I don't do so here," he said, standing up, "We're not safe out in the open like this." Corrin looked down and spotted Silas on the floor and started, "Ack! Silas, what did they do to you?"

"You know General Silas, too?" Kana asked.

"Of course, he was a very good friend of mine," he said, "I was the best man at his wedding! It looks like he's only unconscious, thankfully. Let me just help him up and we'll get on our way…"

"Where are we going to go?" she asked.

"Why, to meet up with your mother."

As the two walked the long, empty, grassy fields of Valla, Corrin explained everything Azura had communicated to him, as well as the written history that he could recall: he told her of the ancient Astral Dragons, their plight, the creation of humanity, the Silent Dragon Anankos, and the hand he played in the fall of Valla. He also explained the curse that prevented one from referring to the buried kingdom, hence why she'd never heard of it.

"So," she said upon hearing all of it, "mama asked you to help beat this dragon, Anankos…"

"Other way around, actually," he interrupted her, "Your mama didn't want me to do anything about it, but I insisted on helping her. That was when we got married."

"But you lived in Nohr before, right?

"Right."

"So, why did you stay here in Valla? Why didn't you get Uncle Xander's help? There are plenty of super-strong people in Nohr who could've helped you stop Anankos."

"Uncle Xander and the others had a country to protect, and the world was still tense, just recovering from war… that's what I told myself, anyway. The truth is, your mother told me that in order to defeat Anankos, we'd most likely need _all_ of the divine weapons, including the ones held by Hoshidan royalty. I was barred from entering Hoshido after the war, though, and so I didn't tell Xander: I didn't want to involve him in a task he couldn't hope to accomplish. That would be terribly unfair, so I decided to wait until I thought an opportunity might present itself."

"But what about me? Why not keep me here so I could help you?"

"We were eventually discovered by Anankos—we'd grown too complacent, and we let our guard down. I knew if he caught us, he'd kill you and your brother, so your mother and I agreed you to take each of you to different places and not tell the other where, so that you'd be impossibly difficult for Anankos to track."

"And then? What did _you_ do?"

"We stayed here in Valla, found a new place to hide, and continued to fight Anankos's forces in secret. It's not like we were here all alone, however… I made some calls from Nohr's servants, and we found another ally as we fled."

"Wait… you mentioned my brother… what was his name?"

"Shigure. He had pale blue hair like yours and your mother's, and golden eyes just like her. It seems like you both look more like her than me."

"Sh-Shigure?"

"Yes, why?"

"I met him. In Hoshido, at the banquet."

"A banquet in Hoshido? All right, I think I've explained enough for now, why don't you tell me what _you've_ been up to, Kana?"

"I went to Hoshido with all the other Nohrian royals—we were supposed to meet the Hoshidan royals, but some guy pulled us all away from the welcome banquet we were having, and he tried to attack us! I think he was a prince, but everybody was just mumbling his name, so I can't quite remember it…"

"Takumi."

"That's it! Anyway, he brought a bunch of people out of the crowd to aim bows at us, but then some other soldiers came out of nowhere and attacked _them_. Heck of a coincidence, I guess. We ran away with General Silas, but they kept chasing us as we crossed the Bottomless Canyon, and then the bridge snapped while General Silas and I were on it, and we fell in, and… well, now I'm here."

"Who kept following you, Takumi's group, or these other soldiers?"

"Hard to say, really. I was ordered not to look back."

"That's Silas, all right. Well, there's the answer to another of your questions, Kana: the Bottomless Canyon isn't actually bottomless, it drops you into the inner world, into Valla. It's the only way for non-Vallites to enter, actually, short of sharing your mother's pendant, but that's pretty unlikely…"

"Everything about this is so strange…"

"You're not hurt, are you?"

"Hm?"

"Takumi and his men attacked you—they didn't hurt you, did they?"

"No, we got away before they could do anything."

"Good. Good."

"You said something earlier about not being here alone, right? Who else is with you?"

"Ah, good timing, sweet pea. See that house up there? I'm going to introduce you to all of them—come on."

They made it through a small patch of trees—a miniature ring of forest—up to a small clearing that had a modest two-story house at its center. The house was the same dusty shade of off-white that colored every ruin Kana had seen thus far, and the stones and bricks that supported it were worn, dull, and broken in places. Some of the trees surrounding the small home even seemed to intertwine with it, providing a second roof made of dark green leaves. They walked up to the door and Corrin knocked on it gently.

A voice came from behind it: "What is strong enough to bring ruin, but fragile enough to be shattered by a single word?"

"Silence," Corrin answered. The door clicked and opened slightly, and Corrin went in first, pushing it aside.

"And how were the results of your investigation today, sir?" asked the same stern and proper voice that had come from behind the door.

"Oh, quite prolific, Jakob," he answered, "I brought a special visitor."

Kana looked at the man her father had called Jakob: he was tall and stiff, a bit on the thin side, and dressed in finely-tailored clothes that were muted in color. He had long white hair that was tied neatly so that only a single tail swung behind his shoulders, held in place by a small bow. He also had a rather impressive broom of a mustache that was shifting thoughtfully as he stared at Kana. "Ack!" he exclaimed, eyes jumping open, "C-Could it be…? Lady Kana?"

"Um, yes, my name's Kana," she said.

"Oh dear!" he shouted, "Forgive my momentary indiscretion, young mistress! Please, tell me, are you well? Do you require medical attention? Would you like some hot tea?"

"She's fine, Jakob," Corrin said, smiling at the butler, "I showed up before there were any problems, thankfully. Now, Silas, on the other hand…" Corrin turned to show the face of the man he was carrying on his shoulder.

"Oh, that cowlick-sporting hooligan," Jakob frowned, "I suppose we ought to help him. Very well, place him on the sofa and I'll get the others working on it."

"I, uh, actually wouldn't mind a little tea, too. If it's not too much trouble, that is…" Kana said, trailing off.

"That thirsty, huh?" Corrin asked.

"It's been a _long_ day," she replied.

"Of course, you poor girl," Jakob said, pursing his lips at her, "I'll get one of those two layabouts on the case immediately." He turned around and shouted down the hall: "Flora and Felicia, someone has returned! Would either of you care to, perhaps, help me?!"

The twin maids bustled out of the kitchen, and another set of footsteps began to sound from upstairs. "Jakob, please!" Flora shouted at him, "We were cleaning and preparing lunch, so when you shouted 'I've got it!' from halfway across the house, we acted under the assumption that you had it covered."

"Don't argue semantics with me, miss!" he said, wagging his finger at her.

"Don't take that tone with me!" she hissed, "We're of equal rank!"

"Excuse me," Corrin said loudly and deliberately, "I've got an unconscious man on my shoulder and my daughter behind me. Do you think we could save the bickering for another time?"

Flora's eyes shot open much like Jakob's when she saw Kana. "Ah!" she started, "I'm so sorry! Lady Kana, it's… I'm so glad to see you unharmed! This is… this is… er, I'm sorry, what do we need to do?"

"Felicia, please help Lord Corrin with his associate," Jakob directed, "and Flora, please fetch a cup of tea for Lady Kana. I shall go retrieve the lady of the house."

Jakob didn't need to go far. Almost as soon as he had gotten up the stairs, Flora had entered the kitchen, and Felicia had begun carrying the unconscious Silas over to a nearby sofa, the footsteps upstairs resumed. When Kana looked up to their source, she saw the frills of a white dress gliding down the steps, followed by a pale face with golden eyes and impossibly long blue hair. The woman seemed to be watching Kana carefully as she descended the staircase, but she lost her composure when she got to the floor. The woman walked quickly up to Kana and dropped to her knees, her dress covering her legs. She wrapped Kana in a tight hug and murmured, "My little girl."

"M-Mama?" Kana said hesitantly.

"Yes, my sweet," she replied, stroking the back of Kana's head, "it's been so long since I was called that… it's so good to see you again."

Corrin stood and watched his wife embrace their daughter for a minute, not wanting to ruin the moment, but after a bit, he added, "As good as it is to see her, her presence bodes ill for us, Azura."

Azura broke her embrace with her daughter and stood to face her husband. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"She was driven here by Hoshidan forces. Led by Takumi, according to her," he said.

"Driven? By Takumi?" she repeated, "Oh, no…! I always feared the Hoshidans might retaliate… urgh! None of them have any idea what they're doing!"

"It's my fault," Corrin said, "I should have put a stop to all this sooner. I got too wrapped up in… other matters." As he mentioned those matters, his eyes darted between Kana and Azura.

"You're not to blame," said Azura, "If I hadn't told you, we'd _all_ be faring much worse."

"Something has to be done," Corrin decided, "I can't hide from it any longer. I've been afraid for too long, but we don't have any time left to cower in fear like this."

"I… can't disagree," said Azura, her eyes falling, "especially not when I hear that tone in your voice. But, perhaps you might consider waiting just a bit longer?"

"Azura, we don't have time for—"

"Just… a day, perhaps?" she continued, looking down at Kana, "I don't need any more than that, but, maybe… just one day?"

He looked at his wife and then his daughter again before nodding, saying, "Of course. One day." He took Kana's hand. "Come on, sweetie," he said, "take a little walk with your mama and papa around the garden."

The bewildered princess obeyed.

Jakob looked in on Felicia. "Is the lad going to be all right?" he asked.

"He'll be fine, he's just passed out," Felicia replied, "and he's a little old to be called a 'lad,' don't you think?"

"When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it," said the butler.

"Would the lot of you mind keeping it down?" rasped a well-aged voice. Jakob and Felicia turned and bowed apologetically.

"Terribly sorry, Master Gunter," Jakob said, lowering his voice as well as his head.

"My understanding is that the young mistress arrived, yes?" said Gunter, eyes shut.

"Th-That's right, sir!" said Felicia, "Lord Corrin and Lady Azura just took her out for a walk."

"Then we'll have to get her chamber looking ship-shape," he said, "Jakob, why don't you do it? Perhaps it will help to curb that attitude of yours."

"Yes, master," he said resignedly.

[…]

As the wind blew echoes through the canyon, Siegbert rose and looked at his cousins. "I'm sorry, but I believe we've waited long enough," he said with a long exhale, "We need to decide what we're going to do."

"Decide?" Forrest repeated, "I thought the plan was to run home and tell your father what's happened."

"It was… originally," said Siegbert, "but Sophie has raised a legitimate concern: we don't know the fate of General Silas, or Kana. The thought of either of them falling into enemy hands, captured while we flee with our tails between our legs… it's a thought that I find… difficult to endure, against my better nature."

"Are you proposing we turn around and try to rescue them?" Forrest asked incredulously.

"I'm saying that's an option I would consider," said the crown prince of Nohr, "but we need to decide what we're doing as a group: if any soldier doesn't believe in the righteousness of his objective, it's doomed to fail—that's something my father taught me."

"This is quite a turn from you, Siegbert," said Forrest.

"My vote is for the rescue mission," Sophie said, rising and standing between them.

"What about you, Forrest?" Siegbert offered his hand, "What do you think we should do?"

"I also find the idea of General Silas and Kana suffering… distasteful, but going after them would be incredibly risky, to say the least."

"You're absolutely right," said the other prince, "and I've been daunted by risks since the first day I picked up a training blade, but now, when lives that I care about so deeply are at risk… it seems like the only natural thing to do."

"I… don't want Kana or Uncle Silas to be hurt either," Ophelia threw in, standing slightly off to the side of the trio.

Forrest sighed and gave a smile, saying, "I suppose I have no choice then, do I? Very well… 'no guts, no glory,' as they say."

"Excellent," Siegbert said, his eyes smiling along with his mouth, "Then cousins, fellow princes and princesses of Nohr, let's go rescue our family!"

[…]

Morgan wrapped the string around the burlap sack and hefted it onto her back with a sharp exhale. She pulled the book out of her coat's pocket and began to read it: the text was written in an ancient language that she had only recently begun to decode—she smiled thinking about it. It had been a _long_ time since she had needed to decode enemy transmissions, but it came right back to her when she tried, like muscle memory. Of course, translating the symbols was only half of the battle, as most of the text still spoke in reference to ancient terms that meant nothing to her. Still, she could return the document to the prince and princess, and maybe one of them would be able to make sense of it.

It was amusing to her to find her family in service of a royal family again, although this time she wore a slightly different hat. Actually, it wasn't a hat at all—it was a hood and an old bandana she had made out of one of her mother's too-small shirts—all the same, acting as a spy wasn't always so different from being a tactician, she thought: she still had to do everything in her power to gather information on the enemy and make sure said information could be put to use, but she wasn't ordering troops around in this case, and, frankly, that took a lot of the pressure off.

She kept searching the text for words she could understand, for something that might be valuable: "prince," "friend," "war," "humans," "dragons;" she saw all of these terms throughout the text, but their significance was lost on her, even after all she'd learned from the royals she served.

She stopped thinking about them when she read the word "wife" and was forced to briefly recall her husband and her children, no doubt going about their lives without her in Nohr. She longed to return to them; to sit down and have a cup of tea with Inigo, to ask Liam how his studies were going, and to see all the friends Soleil had made, but duty compelled her to continue on. After all, if they failed, Anankos would ruin the world they had claimed as their own, wouldn't he? So, she had no choice.

She looked up into the glittering sunlight as she exited the temple. "Some things never change, do they, mom and dad?" she said. Lowering her gaze, she stuffed the book back in her pocket and prepared to deliver the spoils of her success to the prince and princess.


	33. The Flow of Time

"…and Forrest would always sit down with me, Sophie, and Ophelia for our little tea parties," Kana concluded, watching both her parents smile warmly down at her.

"I'm glad to hear that they were all so kind to you," said Azura, "It seems the next generation of Nohrian royalty is quite a compassionate one."

"That Forrest seems like quite a character," Corrin added, "I wouldn't expect someone so personable to be Leo's son. I'll have to thank Silas for helping take such good care of you, too. I was afraid you'd be terribly lonely without your parents in the castle like the other children."

"It… wasn't really fun," she admitted soberly, "but I had to make do."

"That's my girl," said her father, patting her back.

"So, tell me this, Kana," Azura said, kneeling down a little, letting her dress cover her legs and the grass beneath her, "Have any of the boys in the court caught your eye? Is there anyone who has your interest?" Her golden eyes sparkled over a little smile as she looked at her daughter.

"Um…"

"Oh no," Corrin protested, "she's much too young for that. She doesn't need to be dealing with those sorts of things for a few more years, at least."

"Hush," Azura told him, pushing him gently. "It's okay, Kana," she leaned closer to her daughter, "You can tell me—I promise I won't breathe a word to anyone."

"Uh, I guess I haven't given it much thought," her daughter said, "I was always just trying to keep in line with everybody else…"

"When you weren't sneaking out of the castle, you mean?" Corrin said, raising his eyebrows.

"Well, hey!" she replied, "A girl's got to have her fun."

"That she does," he agreed with a little chuckle.

"Besides," Kana went on, "as nice as everyone in the castle is, and as cozy as the castle can usually be, there's something about it that unnerves me a little—like someone's watching me all the time, and the air gets oppressive, and… I just really need to step out of there and get some fresh air sometimes. I can't stand always being confined to those walls."

"Now, that one I understand completely," Corrin said, nodding his head.

"You said you liked to play with animals when you were outside, didn't you, Kana?" her mother asked.

"Yeah!" she exclaimed with a big smile, "Some of them can be so fun! I remember one time, on my birthday, I found a baby fox, and I ended up chasing him around until dark! Uncle Xander wasn't too happy about that one…"

"How about… music?" Azura continued.

"Huh?"

"Music, dear. Do you like music? Do you play an instrument? Do you… sing?"

"Oh. Well, I don't play anything—I tried to learn the violin with Siegbert, but I wasn't any good, my hands just go everywhere. I can't really sing all that well, but I whistle and hum just about everywhere I go!"

"Would you like it if mama taught you a special song? A song that everyone in our family knows?"

"Sure. That sounds fun!"

"I should probably check to see how Silas is coming along," Corrin interjected, nodding at his wife.

Azura frowned. She sighed quickly and said, "But I was hoping Kana could learn the song with the whole family involved, you know."

"You don't need my clumsy voice in the mix to sing that old tune," he answered.

"Corrin…"

"Teach her first, and we'll all harmonize a little later, all right?"

"Please don't be too long."

He nodded and walked back into the house.

Silas was sitting up, wincing as Felicia applied an icy-cool rag to his forehead. "I'm not feverish!" he was saying as the cold made him shudder. Both Felicia and Silas turned their heads to Corrin as he entered the room.

"Silas, it's been quite a while," the prince said with a wide smirk.

"I've missed your face greatly, friend," Silas beamed back at him.

"How are things between you and my sister?"

"Camilla's as strong as ever. Even more so, perhaps. She doesn't spend much time at court anymore—says the castle brings back bad memories—but we've had plenty of fun going all around the country. In fact, the list of places we went was sort of… er, never mind. She's been a big help in raising Sophie, too: I think that girl is already set to go as a princess of Nohr."

"From what Kana tells me, you've been instrumental in guiding her on that path, too."

"She said that? No… I've tried to help her when she needed encouragement, but that daughter of yours is unstoppable when there's something she wants."

"She's described her many escapes from the castle."

"There's that, and then the time when she was eight and broke another girl's finger because they both reached for the last scone."

"…Is she really so violent?"

"Not violent, per se… just determined. Kind of like someone else I know who just can't tolerate leaving things the way they are."

"Guilty as charged. I'd love to spend more time reminiscing, but I wanted to ask you about what happened with Takumi."

"Of course. It's… it's bad, Corrin, I won't lie to you."

"What are we talking about, exactly,"

"A rebellious faction of Hoshidans fully intending to open fire on the royal children of Nohr, not to mention arresting their own citizenry and even their current king."

"Arresting the king? Takumi's undermining Ryoma?"

"The prevailing opinion in many of Hoshido's poorer circles is that King Ryoma was too soft on Nohr."

"Too soft? They tried to launch an invasion and were thwarted! What did they think he was going to do?"

"People who see their family members come home in caskets aren't always at their most rational, Corrin. Even Hoshido's royalty can empathize with that."

"I guess you're right. Still, something about all this gives me an odd feeling…"

"Anxious about the possibility of another war, I'd guess."

"That makes sense."

"Corrin, another question."

"Hm?"

"…Where am I, exactly?"

"…In my house?"

"No, I mean, here—this place. What is it?"

"Oh. Oh! Oh gods, right! Er, you remember that 'smaller nation' I was dealing with? This is it."

"But… I fell into the Bottomless Canyon."

"It's hard to explain, but this kingdom exists below the world you and I know—it's called Valla, and it's where Azura and I were born. You mustn't mention its name to anyone outside of it, though, or else you'll dissolve on the spot. It's a curse."

"How… curious. But—"

"I told Kana all about it, and frankly, my jaw is a little sore from giving such a lengthy explanation. I can tell you more this evening, but if you're really curious, I'm sure she can fill you in more or less. For right now, I want to know more about what went on: are the other royal children safe?"

"As far as I know. They got to the end of the Bottomless Canyon and were still running by the time we fell."

"And it was only you and the children there?"

"Yes. Upon retrospect, bringing at least Camilla or Lord Leo might not have hurt, but it _was_ supposed to be a diplomatic mission. We weighed the options and we didn't think we needed to worry with King Ryoma in charge of things."

"For the best. More people could've gotten hurt if there were a lot of you there. Let's see… who's left? What about Sakura, and the Hoshidan royal children? What of them?"

"Lady Sakura was also overpowered by the rebelling Hoshidans, if memory serves. The children… I don't know what happened to them: I lost track of them in the crowd when we fled."

"Ill business, to be sure. Well, I guess there's no doubting that this issue requires a personal touch, then."

"Wait, you mean you're going to go to Hoshido?"

"I have to. I'm the source of all this discontent, and, eventually, I'm going to need Takumi's help. Facing him one-on-one is the only chance we stand of resolving all this."

"You've always been a bit reckless in terms of planning, but this is on another level."

"Well, I'll have a little help… I'll need a trusted knight of Nohr to accompany me to ensure safe passage."

"…My sword has always been yours if you needed it, my lord."

"Please, we're beyond titles now—you're my brother-in-law."

"It just sounds a little funny every time, but, as you wish. You have, as you always will, my full support, Corrin."

"Thank you. Felicia, if it's not too much trouble, will you fix Silas a portion for lunch? I'm going to rejoin Azura and Kana."

"Right away!"

[…]

"Well now, if it isn't dear old Odin, my loquacious friend!" Laslow saluted, waving his hand.

"Indeed, you hail Odin Dark, Laslow of the Indigo Skies!" the blond answered, "What business have you in my deepest and innermost sanctum?"

"Princess Elise's chamber is your 'deepest and innermost sanctum?'" said Laslow.

"It's my chamber, too!" Odin replied, "Er, anyway, uh, what need have you of the illustrious—"

"Can you cut that out for a moment?"

"You're no fun."

"Neither is our situation."

"Morgan hasn't come back yet, huh?"

"Mm. It's not unusual for her to take this long, but I can't help worrying anyway."

"I get it. I'm still thinking about Ophelia setting out, and I know Sev—uh, I mean, Selena is still talking to Leo about Forrest every night."

"And here I thought running from the Risen was the most complicated thing we'd ever have to do. How naïve we all were back then…"

"I wonder how Uncle Chrom is getting by about now…"

"Probably nodding off in the middle of some important meeting, then going on downstairs to knock down another wall with his erratic 'training.'"

"Hah! That'd be just like him."

"Odin… no, Owain… do you think we're getting… too attached to this world? I mean, all of us already have children here—families! What if, one day, we find we need to go elsewhere?"

"That's sounds more like the immature, roving mercenary Inigo I used to know—the one who got lots of drinks thrown in his face—not the stately prince, married man, and father of two I've come to learn about."

"Who are _you_ calling immature?!"

"Easy, easy, I'm only joking! What's prompting this worry, anyway?"

"I don't know, I just feel like even if we win here, our fighting will never be over. I don't know if I have any idea what peace could really be like."

"I think we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"That's easy for you to say. The level of duty and obligation I feel sometimes—"

"I know. I know it doesn't seem like I care all that much, what with the swords and the magic and the acting… but I've been pretty painfully aware of my status as a prince for a while now. My mother spent her whole life fearing she wasn't worthy of her name, and then I came along and proved it, and ever since that moment, I've been striving to be worth the confirmation that she never got. Now I'm a prince in two kingdoms, albeit one purely by marriage. Yes, we're probably always going to be fighting with, for, and over something, but that doesn't mean we can't try to enjoy ourselves along the way. Just because we survived, it doesn't mean we don't deserve happy, fulfilling lives too."

Laslow blinked and said, "That was… surprisingly insightful of you."

"I've had a long time to think about it," Odin said, shrugging and giving a quick smirk.

"Knock, knock," said a sweet voice from behind them.

"Come in, dear," Odin said, rising from his seat.

Elise entered, curls of long blonde hair bouncing along her shoulders and behind her, having replaced her big twin tails—she had inherited a crown similar to her older sister's, however, and she kept a few purple streaks in the long waves of her hair to remind her of the woman who had inspired her. Her figure also showed signs of greater maturity—her measurements had grown more than vertically in the last couple of decades.

"No way!" she exclaimed as she entered, "Lazzy! It's been too long!"

"Princess Elise," he bowed to her.

"Oh, none of that silly stuff," she said, waving her hand dismissively, "How are you, you old so-and-so? How's the kids? And Morgan?"

"All doing just fine," he replied, "I think you grew another six inches since the last time I saw you."

"And you've still got the same roguish looks as always," she said, cupping his cheek, "Ooh, that Morgan is a lucky duck, I tell ya."

"Um, honey," Odin cleared his throat.

"Oh, don't be jealous, my sweetheart," she said, slowly walking over to him and pulling his head in for a kiss, "My love is only for you. But I can't deny a handsome guy when I see one, same as you can't deny a pretty lady, right?"

"It's nice to be appreciated for once," Laslow said, proudly stroking his armor.

She giggled and said, "So, what brings you here?"

"Just a little rendezvous with my old friend," he answered, "in fact, I was just on my way out."

"Oh, nonsense," she said, "stay here and talk awhile. Or bring Morgan and we'll all have dinner together—ooh, that'd be fun!"

"Morgan's… away on a job," said Laslow, "It'll be some time before she returns."

"Aw," Elise frowned. Brightening up again, however, she said, "Then you _have_ to stay a little while and tell us what you've been up to. I'll get Selena, too, and Leo, if he's interested—I know Selena is a friend of yours, too. I'm sure Xander will want to know, but he may not be available…"

"I'm not sure," he said, "Who knows what those crazy kids of mine will be getting up to…"

"Aw, they can handle themselves," said Elise, "kids are usually more responsible than you give them credit for."

"I think you should stay, just for a bit," Odin added.

Laslow smiled, shrugged, and sat back down.

[…]

Azura was giggling, "And then… he pulled out the ring… oh, you should have heard him! 'Oh, Azura, what will I do without you? Please, stay with me forever…!'"

"I do _not_ sound like that," Corrin protested, "besides, it worked, so who are you laughing at?"

"Ha ha. You always were cute when you were flustered," she went on.

"All right, if we're making fun," Corrin said, leering at his wife, "this is how your mother _used_ to treat me before we were married: No! Corrin! Ah! You can't! Speak! To me! We cannot! Fall! In love! I must! Be! Brooding! And! Mysterious!" He had crossed his arms and wrapped his hands protectively around his shoulders, and so with each exclamation he turned away from them both, showing either side of his profile and flicking his hands to imitate the swaying of his wife's long hair.

"Look at what peace has done to us," Azura said, smiling and holding her head in one hand.

He seized her remaining hand and stared at her, "Twenty years of this has gone by in the blink of an eye."

"That's how you know it was fate," she said, "I'm so glad fate placed me here with you."

"Me too," he replied.

"So, uh, what happened after that?" Kana interrupted them.

"Oh," Azura's face turned a little pink and she stuttered, "well, I accepted of course, and then we… um…"

"Your mama kissed me and pulled me into a pond," Corrin helped her, "and I wouldn't have minded a warning about that, for the record. In any case, that's how she brought me here to Valla, to tell me all of the things I've told you."

"And knowing all that, you just… started fighting?" his daughter asked.

"More or less," he shrugged, "We didn't exactly have to fight every day, so there was time to visit my family in Nohr and—er, do other things."

"Other things?" Kana repeated, "Oh, you mean like raising me and Shigure?"

"Yes," he said quickly, "that's exactly what I mean." Azura gave him a sideways smile. He continued, "In any case, I should have fought harder, because we eventually had to hide you kids away, and I can't fathom how lonely that must have made you feel."

"Like I said," Kana said, her voice lowering, "I made do."

Azura frowned and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "You're among family now, dear," she said, "it's all right. Let whatever's in your heart flow out, so that you can be at peace."

"Papa," Kana said, turning to her father, "I love you, but… I'm upset that you left me. I'm… I'm more than upset. I'm mad."

"That's okay, Kana," he said, nodding sympathetically.

"No, it's not," she huffed, cheeks tensing, "I said and thought awful things about you… I thought you were… a drunk, a vagabond, a murderer… I said I hated you once. Maybe more than once. I told Uncle Xander I hoped I'd never meet you; I hoped you were dead! I was so angry at you for leaving me all alone, only for everybody else's parents to tell me how great you were. I hoped for one chance to see you when I was big enough so I could spit in your face and tell you how much it hurt me. But now, I get to meet you and mama, and you're both nice people who wanted to protect me… I've been _so awful_!" As the weight of her feelings pressed on her, Kana collapsed into her father's lap, crying.

"There, there, pumpkin," he said, stroking her hair, "Papa knows you didn't mean any of those things—"

"But I did! I meant every one of them at the time!"

"—and you had every right to feel that way. I grew up without a real mama or papa, too, so if I had known one or both of them had left me, I would have been mad at them, too. People do strange things for even stranger reasons, and it's okay to be upset about things you don't like, even if it's papa and mama who are making you mad."

"Papa," she croaked, "my chest feels tight. It hurts. A lot. It's been hurting ever since you told me who you were."

"You're exhausted, darling," Azura said, patting her daughter's back.

"Mm-hm," Corrin agreed, wrapping her up in his arms, "I think it's bedtime for little princesses. We'll even sing you the same lullaby we sang to calm you down when you cried as a baby."

Azura followed her husband as he scooped up their daughter. She continued to stroke the girl's back as they began to sing.

 _You are the ocean's gray waves_ …


	34. Enter the Light

She had been lulled to sleep quickly by her fatigue and the relative darkness of the room when she was brought in, and her parents' singing made it that much easier, as juvenile as that sounded. Mostly, she was glad to have their warm bodies beside her, as that was a sensation she had forgone most of her life, and she hadn't realized it until that evening. Hours later, though, she awoke without any prompting, feeling just as awake as she would normally in the middle of the day. It was actually a little too hot now, squeezed in between the two of them, and she could feel damp spots of sweat on her clothes and along her forehead where her hair hung down. She tried to lower her head and sleep again, but the discomfort from the excessive heat was overwhelming her, and so she fidgeted every few seconds. Her father's eyes opened in the midst of one such struggle.

"Everything okay, princess?" he asked her in a whisper. She nodded slowly and tried to yawn to give the impression that she was still sleepy and didn't want to leave the bed. "Can't sleep, huh?" her father conjectured, "That's all right, neither can I. What say we get up and help Felicia and Flora with breakfast?"

Kana nodded again and followed her father's lead, slipping gently out of the bed so as not to wake Azura, who breathed a little roughly as her mouth hung slightly open. They tiptoed down the stairs, and Kana was surprised to already see the sun streaming through the windows—it didn't feel quite that early, but it looked like it could have been ten o'clock outside. Corrin saw her staring at the window and placed a hand on her shoulder, saying, "Oh, that's right, I never specifically mentioned it… this world doesn't have any weather, and it's not affected by the movement of the sun, it's just always daylight here."

"Then how do you keep time?" his daughter asked.

"I just listen to whatever Jakob says," he told her, leading her along to the kitchen, "he's always been good with those details."

As they entered, they found Felicia humming away while she washed off dishes and carefully toweled them dry before setting them aside. Flora was buttering some toast on the opposite end of the room. They both turned around when they heard the approaching footsteps. "Oh, hi Lord Corrin," Felicia said, smiling cheerfully, "and Lady Kana, too!"

"Good morning, Lord Corrin, Lady Kana," Flora added in a more subdued tone.

"Good morning," Corrin said, nodding back at both of them, "Kana, I don't think I formally introduced you. These two lovely ladies are Felicia and Flora, and they've taken care of your papa for years. They even took care of you when you were a baby."

"Really?" she said, absorbing the information, "It's, uh, nice to meet you."

"We're both very happy to see you again, Kana," Flora said, "it's so exciting to see how you've grown… although we'll have to do something about those filthy clothes, and that messy hair."

Kana rubbed her bun protectively, mewling, "I like it this way…"

"Flora's the one with the blue hair who just spoke," her father continued, "she can be a little frigid at times, but I wouldn't trust the care of my family to anyone else."

"Don't make me remind you just how 'frigid' I can be," she said, wagging her finger at the prince.

"Felicia is Flora's twin sister. They're both from the Ice Tribe," Corrin continued, "do you know anything about them?"

"Sure," Kana said, nodding and turning her head to Felicia, "they joined the rebellion against King Garon after routing an invasion from a Nohrian general… what was his name? Othello?"

"Iago," Corrin corrected her.

"Right," Kana continued, "That was you guys, wasn't it? The rebellion? And that's when Uncle Leo decided to join you."

"How's it feel to have it all summed up just like that, Felicia?" Corrin said, smiling at her.

"Better than taking part in it, that's for sure," she replied. She stopped washing the dishes for a moment and dried off her hands with a towel before bending down to Kana's level. "Aw, Aunty Felicia missed her wittle Kana-bo-bana," she cooed, pinching the girl's cheeks.

"Ow!" Kana started, pulling away.

"Felicia, we talked about this," Corrin said, frowning at her.

"Right, sorry!" she said, standing back up, "It's just… she's _so_ cute!"

"No denying that, but, all the same, you need to mind your—"

"What's all the commotion in here?" They turned to find Jakob entering the doorway. He paused and bowed without entering. "Ah, Lord Corrin, Lady Kana," he said, "I apologize for intruding. As you were."

"Actually, hold on a moment, Jakob," Corrin said, grabbing him, "I'm reintroducing Kana to everyone here, since she was too little to remember you all."

"Oh," the butler paused. He faced Kana and bowed deeply, his right arm across his chest. "Lady Kana, my name is Jakob, and I am a butler who has humbly served your father and all of Nohr's royal family for some thirty years now," he said as his head rose.

"Jakob can be pretty stern, but he's got a cool head and an unwavering sense of duty," Corrin said.

"I'll take that as praise on margin and thank you for it, my lord," Jakob replied. "I remember you as a rambunctious one, Lady Kana," he went on, "do you still get into the habit of digging around in the gardens and playing with insects?"

"N-Not really," she stammered.

"Excellent," Jakob said curtly, "how are your studies going? Do you know how to read? How much history have you been taught? What about mathematics? Sciences? The arts?"

"Uh, I can read," she answered, "and I've been taught about a lot of Nohr's history, even if I don't remember it all… I'm not very good at composition, but I've always done well with math. Siegbert compliments me all the time, and we have competitions to see who can solve the most problems in ten minutes."

"On par with the crown prince in maths, eh?" Jakob said, pinching his chin and smiling coyly, "Capital. I'm very pleased to hear that you're doing so well, Lady Kana."

"Um, thank you," she said, almost bowing herself. It felt more like she was speaking to a tutor than a subordinate.

"I don't suppose you mind if I join in on all this, then?" another voice interjected.

"Not at all. Please, come take a seat, Gunter," Corrin said, waving him over. "Kana," he presented, looking down at his daughter, "this gentleman here is Gunter. He's your papa's oldest servant, and he protected me from danger for many years, right up until just before the rebellion. He fell into the Bottomless Canyon, a bit like Silas, and we found him here in Valla a little over a decade ago."

"I've been out of commission since then," Gunter said, picking up after her father, "but I insisted on helping raise you and your brother. It does my old heart good to see you well, Kana. You used to call me 'grampa,' you know."

"It's good to meet you… er, again," Kana said, shaking his hand when he outstretched it, "Thank you for taking care of me."

He smiled. "Don't mention it, dear," he said, "taking care of children has been my prerogative for some time now."

"Why don't you tell Gunter some of what you told me about your exploits, Kana?" Corrin said, smiling at her, "I'll go help Flora and Felicia with breakfast."

Kana sat at a large wooden dining table across from Gunter and began to recount her days growing up in Castle Krakenburg, detailing each of her cousins and their parents, the latter of which caused Gunter to smile with much amusement, and she went on to discuss the reconstruction of Nohr, as it had been relayed to her by the other royals. Jakob, too, sat and listened with interest to hear all the goings-on in Nohr since the end of the war, until Corrin, Felicia, and Flora finally emerged, each carrying platters of eggs, bacon, and pancakes, which they placed carefully on the table. Coincidentally, they heard a yawn and a pair of feet descending the stairs.

Flora, Felicia, and Jakob finished setting the table as Corrin went over to the stairs and pecked Azura on the forehead as she got to the landing. "Morning, Zu," he said, taking her hand and leading her over to the table and pulling out a chair.

"Smells lovely," she murmured through another yawn, blinking quickly. "Good morning, Kana," she said softly upon realizing that her daughter was also seated at the table.

"Good morning, mama," she replied.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Mm-hm. You and papa make great hug-pillows."

Azura smiled and let out a little laugh before Jakob began placing food on her plate. She licked her lips and delved into the meal with little other conversation.

[…]

The man hummed quietly to himself, tossing seeds over the recently tilled soil while he clenched a blade of grass between his teeth. His eyes were glued to the fields, such that he failed to notice the group traveling beyond the hills over the horizon, and only finally lifted his head to spy them when they were close enough that their footfalls drowned out his hum. The farmer looked up and saw that they sported black armor, and so he wordlessly clenched the knife stashed in his pocket and waited for the visitors to draw in closer: he would give them a chance, as he had learned he should, but he had moved to this location to avoid the violence and strife of his former life—he would not tolerate being interrupted.

"Pardon us, good sir," the man who seemed to be leading them said. He descended from his steed, wheat-blond hair swaying a bit with the wind, "We mean you no harm, but we would like to ask something of you."

"As you will," the farmer replied, not losing his grip on his weapon.

"There has been a great tragedy in Shirasagi Castle Town," the boy told him, "Children from the kingdom of Nohr were attacked, and a princess of Nohr may have been taken prisoner, along with a high-ranking Nohrian general. If you would be so kind, could you tell us if you have seen a girl with light blue hair and gray eyes or a man with silver hair and green eyes?"

He looked at the boy, cocking an eyebrow. "Nohrians were attacked?" he said, "By whom?

"Prince Takumi," the boy replied gravely, "we were… forced to flee, initially, but we've since returned to rescue them. Please, we beg your clemency, good sir: both of those people who were lost are dearly beloved members of our family."

"I regret to say that I have no information on such travelers," the farmer replied, "but I say this truly, and not to spite you, travelers. I am sympathetic to the plight of Nohr… at one time, I served a Nohrian prince. If you say Hoshido's capital is in danger, then I can provide you assistance in your rescue beyond providing information on the whereabouts of your family."

"You… served a Nohrian prince?" the boy stammered.

"Indeed," the farmer said, nodding, "I aided the one called the Moonlight Prince in his quest to revolutionize Nohr. My name is Kaze."

"Ah!" the boy's eyes lit up. He bowed to Kaze, saying, "So _you're_ the famed Cool Breeze Shinobi. Hoshidan historical texts are quite fond of you, and how you mysteriously vanished after the end of the Long Night."

"I have been told," the ninja replied, "My exploits in Nohr brought me equal fame and infamy in both nations, so I retired my career and title as a ninja to live a modest life with my wife and daughter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kaze," the blond boy said, sticking out his hand, "The man you served was my uncle. My name is Siegbert, and I am the crown prince of Nohr. With me are the other Nohrian royal children, Prince Forrest and Princesses Sophie and Ophelia."

"You honor me with your presence," the ninja said, bowing, "Please, allow me only a moment to bid my farewells to my family, and I shall give you guidance for safe passage into Hoshido, children of Nohr."

"Thank you very much, Kaze," Siegbert said with a wide smile, "take all the time you need."

As the ninja walked back through the fields toward a single-story stone manse, Forrest folded his arms. "I told you," the prince said, "never doubt my judgment on these sorts of things. I've got a good head for reading people."

Kaze entered the house and shut the door slowly, exhaling deeply. Mozu stepped out from the kitchen to greet him. "Howdy, Kaze," she said, "how them fields lookin'?"

"Mozu, my dear, I must sincerely apologize to you," said the ninja.

"Well, what the heck for?" she asked, "If ya spilled a couple'a them seeds, it ain't no big deal."

"No, I'm afraid it's a bit more severe than that," he said, folding his arms, "I'm going to escort some members of Nohrian royalty to Castle Shirasagi. There's been trouble there, evidently."

"Trouble?" Mozu started, "Oh, I get it, yer worried about yer brother, ain'cha? Gosh, you're just about as cool as a cucumber, like always, Kaze. Reckon my mouth'd be going a mile a minute if I had somethin' like that to worry about. Well, all right then, don't trouble yerself about it much, go on ahead. Just try to be safe now, ya hear?"

"Of course," he smiled, kissing her quickly, "thank you, dear. Where is Midori?"

"'Round back, mixin' up another one o' those tonics o' hers," Mozu replied.

"Right," said the ninja, "I will return shortly. I, er… I love you, dear."

She laughed, "You too, you handsome head o' lettuce."

The ninja left the house and walked hurriedly around to the back to find his daughter busily stirring a purplish mixture. "Midori, my child," he said, waving to her.

"Hello, father!" she returned, bounding over to him, "How is everything? Ooh, you look a little worn out—need a little something for fatigue? Or is that shoulder bothering you again?"

"Nothing of the sort, darling," he said, smiling and patting your head, "I came to tell you that I'll be partaking in a mission."

"A mission? After all this time? What could be so important?" Midori wondered.

"I'll be tasked with guiding the royalty of Nohr to Castle Shirasagi to resolve some bad business out that way," he said in the same flat way he had explained it to Mozu.

"Sounds dangerous," his daughter replied, "do you want me to come with you?"

"A gracious offer, but not something I can risk, I'm afraid," he replied.

"Oh, come on," she pouted, "You always talk about training me more to handle real dangerous situations, isn't this the perfect opportunity for me to learn?"

"This is very different from a simple training mission, Midori," he said, "my answer is final."

"B-But… but father," the girl sniffled, "I don't _want_ you to leave without me…"

"Agh, Midori! You cannot simply cry to achieve your desires. If you wish to accompany me, you must show greater maturity than that," her father said.

"So… if I stop crying, you'll let me come?"

"That is _not_ what I—"

"Done deal! Come on, I've always wanted to see the capital up close! Let's hurry!"

"I cannot fathom why others seem so intent on making my work more complicated than it need be," Kaze said, sighing and jogging along behind his daughter.

[…]

The metal of the Shadow Yato hissed as Corrin placed it carefully in its sheathe. He looked up at the door to see Azura appear from behind the wall and block it. "You're… actually doing this, are you? You're heading out there? To Hoshido?" she said.

"I have to," he answered, "we've been sitting here for too long. You heard Kana's explanation: the world is teetering on the brink of another war. I have to stop things before they spiral out of control and we lose our chance to end Anankos's designs."

"Then… I'll come with you," she said, "I swallowed my fear of that world once before in resolving to protect this one; I can do it again."

"No," he said, "and before you go protesting, it's not because I want to protect you out of some familial duty or because I think it's too dangerous for you—it's because I need someone to remain in command here."

"C-Command?" the Vallite princess stuttered.

"Yes," said her husband, "I'll be taking Silas and Kana with me, but it's important not to put all our eggs in one basket. If I should… fail somehow, you're the only person left who can truly ensure the safety of Valla and, therefore, both our worlds."

"B-But… you won't fail," she said, lip wobbling a bit, "You won't. You'll return to me with news of your… your impossible success, and you'll tell me that Ryoma and Takumi want to join our cause… that's what will happen, right?"

He laughed, saying, "Maybe not all at once—"

"Corrin."

"I'll come back to you, Azura, I promise. We've been together this long, I won't let it all be for nothing."

"Huh? Don't say that. Whether you succeed or fail is irrelevant to our marriage, Corrin. I chose to be with you because I love you, because you made me believe in a level of control over my own destiny that I never believed I possessed, because you reshaped the world by your own force of will. You refused to give up on your family, your homeland, and… me. And that's why I came to love you. And that's why I won't care if the entire world is falling apart around us, as long as you and I are together to share in our final moments, do you understand? Corrin… you mean more than anything to me. To me… you are hope incarnate."

The prince rubbed the back of his head, his cheeks rushing full of hot blood. "Azura…" he blurted out, "What can I say to something like that? Th-Thank you… I love you, too, and I swear to be worthy of the affection you've given me."

She walked up to him and kissed him, stroking his hair. "Now, enough of this gravity—I've tried to put that sort of talk in the past. Call me 'Zu' again."

He held her hand and smiled. "Ours is a bond that can't be broken," he said, "No matter where either of us goes, I'll always be waiting for your return, Zu."

"You're too serious sometimes," she said, "but that's all right. I like that about you, too."

"Look who's talking."

"Look who shouldn't be."

They held each other and shared another kiss, letting it linger as if it were their last.


	35. Misery in Hand

Corrin tried again to focus on putting one foot in front of the other as they walked out past the lake. Silas was looking out over the horizon, scanning it by shielding his eyes from the sun as his horse plodded along slowly. Corrin thought he heard him mutter "Sophie" under his breath. As they continued, however, he noticed that Kana kept glancing over at him. "What's the matter, Kana?" he asked, "You keep looking this way."

"I was just… looking at your sword. It's all… glowy," she said, raising her eyebrows, "Is it special, like Uncle Xander's?"

He laughed. "Ah, right, of course. Yes, Kana, my Shadow Yato is very special," he explained, "It has to do with the ancient dragons I told you about, but all you need to know is that there are two special weapons in Nohr and two in Hoshido, and the Yato is the one to unite them all. That's why we're going to try to straighten things out with Prince Takumi."

"So, did you always have it?" she asked.

"No, it chose me after the statue of Lady Mikoto, your grandmother, was destroyed. She had the sword embedded in the statue for some reason…" her father answered.

"It 'chose' you? Is it… alive?"

"Haha. I don't think so, but it did fly to me straight from the statue. It, like the other divine weapons, is filled with the blood of those ancient dragons, so it seems to be capable of all sorts of things beyond our comprehension, but I don't think it's ever shown itself to be sentient."

"So, there are five in all, huh? Uncle Xander has Siegfried, yours is called 'Yato…' What are the others?"

"Well, there's your Uncle Leo's tome, Brynhildr, King Ryoma of Hoshido wields a sword called Raijinto, and Prince Takumi himself owns a bow called the Fujin Yumi. The Yato in particular is very important, because it's empowered by the other weapons when their wielders trust the wielder of the Yato."

"You mean it's purple-y because you're close with Uncle Xander and Uncle Leo?"

"Exactly. And it's not just more interesting-looking, it's also stronger as a result."

"That's handy."

"Sure is. Now, Kana, if something should happen to me, you should know that either you or your brother would be the Yato's next wielder, since you both share my blood. Keep that in mind."

"Right…"

"And Kana? There's something else you should remember: I love you. I know you may still resent me deep down, and I don't blame you for it, all I want you to know is that no matter how you feel, I did what I did to protect you, because I love you too much to put you in harm's way. Same goes for your brother. I hope, in time, you'll be able to forgive me."

"Yeah," Kana replied quietly.

[*]

"Thank you, darling," the blue-haired man pecked the black-haired woman on the cheek. She smiled at him and disappeared back into the other room. "Well, what do you think?" he asked his guest.

The hooded figure across from him lifted his head from the table and stared at him as straight as he could without completely revealing his eyes. "It's… confusing," the man replied, "why perform all these rituals after you've courted a mate?"

Cadros laughed again, that same little musical laugh that was becoming all too familiar. "I suppose I consider her a little more than a 'mate,'" he replied, "I don't know where you're from that you speak like that, friend. She is… another part of me, you see? We understand each other very deeply because we've become so close. I've shared some of my essence with her as she has shared some of hers with me, and we're now both different people. That's why it's important to remind her how much she means to me."

"I… see," the man said, "Forgive me if I seem odd. The complexity of these connections is… surprising to me."

"Oh, don't feel uncomfortable," Cadros said, "It amused me, that's all. We all have a great much to learn about the rest of this world. It's exciting—isn't it?—the perpetual quest for greater knowledge? To continue learning is surely life's greatest pleasure. That's how I feel, anyway."

The man cracked his first smile. "I agree wholeheartedly," he said.

"At last!" Cadros exclaimed, "You seem to be in good spirits for once! So, it's intellectual stimulation that drives you, eh, friend? Well, that much I can certainly provide. What question guides your thoughts?"

"Oh, a great many," the man replied, "I suppose my greatest wish is to better understand the nature of humanity.

"Ha!" Cadros laughed, "That is a long and broad path, friend, and one that sits at the confluence of many other paths. Seeking to better understand humanity… that can be accomplished many ways: by study, through artistic expression, by conversation… the answer eventually comes to anyone who simply lives."

"Artistic expression?" his guest repeated, "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, my," Cadros said, shaking his head in disbelief, "Do you know not of the arts? Come with me, right away."

The man rose from his seat and was dragged into another room of the house where he was made to look upon a wall featuring a rectangle of canvas with long swaths of color upon it. As he scanned the object, it seemed to resemble Cadros, being a human-like figure with the same pale-blue hair. "What… is this?" the man said, gazing at it perplexedly.

"It's a painting of my late father," Cadros explained, "to remind me of all the memories and love he gave me."

"But… this is only color rubbed onto a surface. It is not your father," his guest said.

"True enough," Cadros said, nodding, "but it is a manifestation of my feelings for him. This is what I mean by separating art from study, friend: on the surface, this image is little more than a shallow imitation of my father's essence, but because it was born from my own mind and molded by my own hands, it is a permanent fixture and true in its own right, though it is not reality itself."

The man continued to stare at the painting, transfixed, as Cadros spoke, and even several minutes afterward. When his concentration broke for a moment, he said, "You are a very interesting specimen, Cadros. I've never met a man such as yourself."

"You flatter me, friend."

"Would… would you be opposed to me coming here again?"

"Not at all! I'd be all too delighted to have you. Although… I'd like to make a condition for your next visit, if I may."

"What is that?"

"You'll give me something to call you. A proper name. I don't care if it's real or not, but I can't go on calling you 'friend' if I'm to truly understand your essence as a person."

"A perfectly reasonable request. Very well, Cadros… why don't you call me 'Patria?'"

"Splendid. I should like us to become all the better acquainted, Patria."

"As should I."

[*]

"Shigure, you all right?" he heard Shiro's voice as his body was shaken.

"I'm… fine," the young man stuttered, "What's happened?"

"Same thing that's been happening for the past couple of hours: Uncle Takumi barking orders, my dad resisting him, a bunch of commoners shouting outside, and Aunt Sakura crying," Shiro reported, frowning, "Uncle Takumi said something to you and you got all starry-eyed… I wasn't really sure what to do, so I've just been standing here and shaking you."

"W-Well, thank you," Shigure said, "but I'm quite awake now, so you can stop."

"Oh, right," the Hoshidan prince said, dropping his arms, "Er, anyway, Uncle Saizo's talking to Uncle Takumi now—I'm not exactly sure what about, but there's been a lot of shouting."

"Fear," Shigure murmured, "there's so much fear in the air. Can't you feel it, Shiro? Jolting through the air and along your bones like lightning…"

"Not exactly," Shiro said, cocking an eyebrow at his cousin, "but it doesn't take a diviner to tell that things are tense around here, not to mention messy."

"Where is Asugi?" asked Shigure.

"Hiding out. He never liked hearing his old man shout, and I think this whole thing has just made it worse for him," Shiro answered.

"What will we do?" Shigure asked, mostly of himself, "What _can_ we do? Gods, what if Nohr declares war again? It could be a disaster for all of Hoshido!"

"It's bad news for sure," Shiro agreed.

"Isn't there something you can do, then?" Shigure demanded, "You're the crown prince, right? And your father is the king! There has to be some way you can fix this!"

"Calm down, all right!" Shiro yelled back, "I may be crown prince, but that doesn't mean I can just wave a magic wand and make everything better! My uncle—your uncle too—is the one who started this whole uproar. You think I can just march in there and tell him to knock it off?"

"I—"

"And listen to that crowd outside. Who knows what side they're on?"

Shigure leant his ear to listen, but when he did, he heard something surprising and frightening: "Everyone, get back! Nohrians are approaching the castle!"

"Oh gods!" Shigure shouted, "Already?! Shiro, we've got to get down there right away!"

Shiro didn't waste any time answering and was already halfway down the staircase before Shigure finished his thought. Takumi and Saizo, too, erupted from the king's chamber and marched their way out to the town square. Poking his head around a corner, Kiragi gingerly made his way down the stairs, following his father and his cousins. Guards led Ryoma out not far behind all of them.

When they reached the square, they found the Nohrian royal children standing on the opposite side of the statue of Queen Mikoto, blockaded by Hoshidan soldiers. Siegbert was at the front, with Kaze beside him, and Sophie and Forrest were on either side of him, Ophelia clutching her fists together behind them. Midori stood beside her. "Prince Takumi!" Siegbert shouted, "And good people of Hoshido! I've come to negotiate with you all! As crown prince of Nohr, I, Siegbert, desire the return of General Silas and Princess Kana, both of whom I believe were captured by soldiers under your command."

"You demand an awful lot," Takumi said, "but, regardless, I don't have them to give to you. If those two are gone, they're probably dead."

"Liar!" Sophie shouted, baring her teeth.

The crowd of Hoshidan peasants booed. "How dare you, sniveling little princess!" they shouted, "You brought this on yourselves! Don't disgrace Prince Takumi's good name!"

"If my good eye doesn't deceive me, it seems our guests have a wanted traitor in their midst, too," Saizo said, "Kaze, you finally decide to come out of hiding only to act as the Nohrians' lapdog again?"

"I did what I did for peace, Saizo," Kaze replied, "So do I do today. I didn't expect you to understand then, and I don't expect you to now, but I'll implore nonetheless: look at what has happened already. Look at the ravaged streets of Hoshido, its captured king, and its frothing populace. What madness is this? It's a coup, against your own lord, no less! Where is your sense of honor, brother?"

"It died, along with my brother," he replied, "Along with Princess Hinoka. Nohr cannot be trusted, and since I became a prince, I've begun to realize the weakness Lord Ryoma displayed. Lord Takumi has helped me to understand my feelings, and I've concluded that following him is the best way to protect Hoshido from the death of more brothers and sisters."

"This is insanity!" Kaze told him.

"This is reality!" Saizo answered, "It's us or them, Kaze! Hoshido and Nohr can never coexist—no Hoshidan is safe while a single Nohrian still draws breath! Step out of your deluded noble fantasies for a moment and you might understand that!"

"Is that why you captured unarmed children?" Siegbert asked.

"Mind your tongue, Nohrian scum!" Takumi barked at him, "We didn't capture either of the people you mentioned. Accusing us will get you nowhere."

"He's right, you know." Everyone in the square turned their heads to the new voice, and many pairs of eyes widened as Corrin, Kana, and Silas appeared, walking toward both groups. "Takumi, my brother," he said, "It's been too long."

"So," Takumi said with a crooked smile, "the Prince of Traitors makes his triumphant return. You spent all that time hiding, too, didn't you? What made you finally decide to rear your cowardly head?"

"I've come to ask for help. To make a plea of you," he said.

Takumi laughed. "Well, you certainly have some gall," he said, "go on, what is it you want from me?"

"I want you to stand down," Corrin said, "Nohr is not your enemy, Takumi, and you're putting everyone in jeopardy by making threats like this. I'm not asking you to forgive me, or any Nohrian, I'm just asking you to step down and let King Ryoma take his throne again. There's a bigger threat than you realize coming our way."

"And what is this threat?" the Hoshidan prince asked.

"I… can't say specifically. I need your trust, Takumi," Corrin replied.

"Trust? After your brother murdered my sister?" he scoffed, "You're far beyond the point of trust."

"You're right," said Corrin, "I don't deserve your trust, but your quarrel is with me, and no one else. All I'm asking is that you stop this fearmongering and listen to me for a bit. If you want to ignore me completely afterward, that's fine, but I'm asking you to leave the people of Nohr and Hoshido out of it."

"No deal," the prince said, "You don't seem to understand: you and Nohr are linked, forever and always. The blood of all those Hoshidans who died fighting Nohr drenches your shoulders, and no one else's more than you. If you had embraced your real family, you could have spared those people and all of Hoshido!"

"At the cost of just as many if not more innocent Nohrians," Corrin answered.

"You and I seem to have very different definitions of the word 'innocent,'" Takumi said, leering at him.

"I just don't understand, Takumi," Corrin admitted, "Why do you insist on more violence? When war has taken this much from everyone, why do you want to see more of it?"

"Hatred is a very powerful motivator," Takumi said, and smirked as he finished.

Corrin stared at him in silence for a moment, and then his expression shifted. "I see. So that's it," he said, "Takumi, I want you to understand something: I don't hate you. I never have. My family in Nohr have never hated you, either. No one in Nohr has. They don't even know who you are. What's more, Takumi, _your_ family doesn't hate you."

"Sh-Shut up!" Takumi growled, "What are you going on about?! Of course you hate me! You fought against me! You killed my countrymen! You—"

"I hated having to fight you. I asked you to leave when you invaded Nohr. I fought only because I wanted to keep my countrymen safe. The people who raised me."

"None of this matters…"

"It does, Takumi. For as little as I know it's worth, I'm sorry. But, beyond that, look around: Ryoma's angry, Sakura's upset, Saizo is foaming at the mouth, and, if I'm not mistaken, the children of the Hoshidan royal family are fearful, too. I heard about everything that happened after the war, Takumi. About your marriage to Oboro, about you disappearance, about your son, Kiragi… I was glad to hear about all of that, Takumi. I thought you'd taken a different path. Now, to see all this… I'm not angry, Takumi, I'm just disappointed."

Takumi was breathing heavily, his eyes wide as long breaths fumed out of his nose. "Stop. Talking," he commanded, "Just stop! You're a murderer! You're a monster! And you need… to be… stopped!"

"Takumi," Corrin said loudly and clearly, "Look into my eyes." The Vallite prince began to walk toward his Hoshidan brother. "I don't want to fight," he said, "lower your weapon and let this be over. Be an agent of life."

Takumi stared at his brother, still breathing heavily, almost as if he were choking, but, in an instant, he drew his Fujin Yumi and aimed it. Corrin stopped in his tracks and was paralyzed by the sudden appearance of the weapon.

The Vallite prince grunted as a sharp force pierced his chest.

"That… will make you… stop," Takumi grunted.

"P-Papa!" Kana cried out.

"Takumi!" Ryoma shouted, throwing aside the guardsmen who had been restraining him, "What have you done?!" More soldiers stepped forward to seize the struggling samurai.

Corrin sank to his knees as Kana ripped away from Silas, who had tried to hold her back.

"Oh gods," Siegbert choked, "F-Forrest, your staff! Quickly, please!"

Forrest tried to run forward, but more Hoshidan soldiers obstructed him. "O-Out of the way!" the Nohrian prince commanded, "I have to tend to him!"

"Not… another… step," Takumi said in a low growl, "No one is helping him!"

"Siegbert, do something, please!" his cousin begged.

"P-Prince Takumi, be reasonable!" Siegbert said, "I-If you don't order them to move, I'll have to… I'll have to…"

"Papa!" Kana cried, shaking him vigorously, "Get up!"

"So, in the end, I failed to accomplish anything," Corrin said weakly, "I was cowardly… I waited too long, and now… you suffer. I'm sorry, Kana. Tell your mother… I'm sorry to her, too."

"Papa!" she insisted, "No! I finally got to be with you! You can't leave me now! I forgive you, do you hear me?! I forgive you and mama, papa! I do!"

The prince was silent, and his eyes grew dull.

"Papa…" his daughter continued to murmur. She fell onto her hands and knees and started to gasp and growl.

"What is…" Ryoma said, watching the display, "Again?"

Confirming Ryoma's suspicion, from the girl's small body, a snarling black-and-white dragon emerged. The beast growled into the air, echoing and making the nearby civilians plug their ears. The dragon raised its long claws and scratched furiously around Corrin's body, slicing open several onlookers who were standing too close. Hoshidan soldiers lined up to attack the dragon, but she stomped them flat, clawed at them, bucked her antlered head, flapped her sharp wings, and swung her mace-like tail to send them all bleeding to the ground.

"What the hell is going on?" a stunned Shiro sputtered out as the dragon Kana continued to fight off the Hoshidans who stabbed at her with naginata.

"The beginning of the end," Shigure decided, looking out at his sister. His face was stony.

"S-Siegbert, what should we do?" Forrest asked. Sophie and Ophelia were both looking at him with the same question in their eyes. Kaze was dragging Midori away.

"I… I don't know," said the Nohrian crown prince, "We have to help Prince Corrin, and Princess Kana, but…"

"Sophie!" They were all surprised as Silas rode over and grabbed her. "Honey, you have to get away from here!" he said.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'll figure something out," he said.

"No!" Sophie said, crossing her arms, "You pulled that once and I was afraid you'd die! I'm not going to leave you again!"

"Sophie, you have to—"

He was cut off by Takumi raising his voice again, his breathing beginning to settle. "Citizens of Hoshido!" the prince announced, "What you have witnessed today is not an accident, nor is it a tragedy—it is a lesson! Watch as this Nohrian princess murders innocent Hoshidans after her father tried to coerce and assault me! And look at your king, who wanted to maintain an alliance with these people! Do you understand now?! Hoshido and Nohr can never be one! We were always meant to be separate! One of us cannot coexist with the other! Our only choice is to eliminate one or the other, and I refuse to bend to Nohr any longer!"

Shouts and cheers rang out from the crowd as more Hoshidans poured out to gang up on Kana. She cried desperately, swinging her body back and forth to try to get them to leave her alone.

Out of the crowd, Shigure also came forward. "Kana!" he called out to her, "If you can hear me, please listen to this!" When the dragon's head turned to him, Shigure began to sing: _You are the ocean's gray waves_ …

As he sang, the dragon lay low to the ground and began to shrink, scales along its body winding around like ribbons until a small set of armor reformed around the more familiar figure of the Vallite princess Kana. "Take this," Shigure ordered, thrusting a clear blue gemstone into her hands, "My mother gave it to me. I was told by Uncle Ryoma to give it to my sister when I met her."

"You…" Kana said, coming out of her fog, "You're… you're Shigure. My big brother."

"That's right," he said.

"Shigure…" she murmured, "I couldn't… I couldn't think… look what they did to papa."

Shigure looked at Corrin's body and grimaced. "Yes, it's… awful," he said, "Kana, do you know of the threat he was speaking of?"

"The Yato," she said, regaining yet more consciousness, "The Yato is the key. There's someone bad looking to hurt us all, but I can't say his name or where he is. The Yato… has to receive the powers of the Hoshidan weapons."

"Yato," Shigure thought aloud, listening to her, "Uncle Ryoma said that was my father's sword. What all are you saying, Kana?"

Before she could answer, they both noticed that the Yato was slowly sliding along the ground. As they watched it and listened to the metal scrape, Kana was startled as the hilt of blade sprang up to meet her palm and she closed her fingers around it. "Papa told me about this," she said, "It… 'chose' me. But… how can I get the power of the Hoshidan weapons? Right now… I just want that man to die."

"What man?" Shigure asked, turning back to her, "You mean Prince Takumi? Kana, I don't—"

He was interrupted by Siegbert's voice, "Stay away from her, Hoshidan!"

"Excuse me?" Shigure said, taking a step back.

"Don't touch Kana!" Sophie shouted, "You and all your soldiers hurt her! You want to kill her!"

"That's not true!" Shigure protested, "I didn't do anything! She's my—"

"Shigure!" Silas came forward, "I thought I might see you here again. Listen, just step back and everything will be fine."

"Are you threatening a member of the Hoshidan royal family?" Takumi shouted at them, "Wrong audience for a trick like that, Nohrian scum."

"Yeah, back away from Shigure," Shiro demanded, running up to join them.

"Please," said Kiragi, also poking his head out, "I'd rather not have to fight you guys."

"Come on everyone," Silas said, "If we hurry, we can make it out of here before things get worse."

"But Silas!" Kana protested, "Shigure's not the enemy. I just want to—"

"Shiro, Kiragi, and… you," Takumi shouted down, "don't allow these Nohrians to escape! If they return to their home, they'll just be more bodies we'll have lay to rest. Moreover, we'll lose our element of surprise. Kill them, now."

"But dad, these people aren't…" Kiragi said, "I mean, they didn't really…"

"I didn't ask for your opinion," his father said, "Do as I ask, Kiragi."

Kiragi frowned and reluctantly brought up his bow. "I'm, uh, sorry about this, for what it's worth," he said.

"So am I," Forrest said, extending his arm. In a moment, Kiragi was knocked back by a burst of flame. "Everyone," he shouted, "we have to run!"

"Hey! Not so fast! That was my cousin you just burnt, you dastard!" Shiro yelled. As Forrest began to back up, he was tripped by Shiro's naginata. The Hoshidan prince twisted the weapon and cut the Nohrian prince's leg, prompting Siegbert to move forward and bat the naginata away with a swing of his sword.

Sophie joined in, catching Shiro off-guard and stabbing at him with a lance of her own, putting a sizeable gash in his arm. He doubled back to clutch the bleeding wound and Siegbert bore down on him, only to be interrupted by a shuriken embedding itself in his side. He winced as he tried to remove the implement, turning to see Asugi standing beside his fallen cousin. "Don't even think about it, Golden Boy," Asugi said.

"A-Away from my family, vile confectioner!" Ophelia stammered. Asugi jumped back as a bolt of lightning scorched the ground near his feet.

Kana and Shigure had locked eyes. "Kana…" Shigure said, "you mentioned receiving the power of the Hoshidan weapons, right? Given what's happened, I don't see anyone letting you do that. Give the Yato to me and I might be able to fix things."

"No," she replied.

"Wh-What? Why not?"

"The Yato chose me. It chose me after your uncle murdered my papa… _our_ papa… if that's even really true. You act like it doesn't bother you at all!"

"I… don't have a lot of memories of our father. I'm sorry, still, I need you to listen to reason—"

"Well I do! I do now, anyway! He was trying so hard, and he loved mama so much, and that man just killed him! I'll… I'll never forgive him for this!"

"Kana, listen! Whatever this greater threat is requires the power of the Hoshidan weapons, right? Just give the Yato to me. Or you could stay here in secret, that's fine, too, but it needs to be in Hoshido."

"No. I'll find another way. I'll never cooperate with someone like that."

"It's not about cooperating—"

"I don't care! I've been a happy citizen of Nohr all my life, and now everyone in Hoshido wants us dead! I won't stay here or give them the Yato no matter what happens!"

"Kana… I don't want to come to blows."

"Me neither, but I'm not changing my mind."

"I suppose it's sometimes the elder sibling's job to knock some sense into the younger. Listen to your big brother, Kana."

"No way! If you're taking their side, then I don't want to be near you, either!"

"I'm not taking their side—"

"Then help me fight Prince Takumi!"

"It's… a little more complicated than that… I don't know the full story yet… Plus, it's not the other Hoshidans' fault, but Nohr will surely blame them when the news breaks."

"Forget it, then! I'm staying with my Nohrian family!"

"Well, I won't betray my cousins in Hoshido. If you won't listen to me, then…"

"Then…"

Shigure withdrew a sword from his belt. "Kana, I'm sorry," he said, "I won't kill you, but I have to make you listen."

Kana didn't answer. Instead, she growled and swung the Shadow Yato at her brother, causing his heels to dig in when he guarded. For a little girl, she produced a tremendous amount of force. She was unskilled, however, and Shigure could see it, so he released his guard to swing around and cut her side. She fell forward and landed on her hands, holding the cut. Blood shimmered on the tip of Shigure's sword. With another growl, Kana sprang back up and swung at her brother. This time, he was surprised by her sudden recovery and stumbled back after the hit, giving her an opening to follow up and thrust at him. He blunted the attack so that it cut his side, too, but missed his stomach. They both stood, panting at one another. Fresh blood covered the spot on the Shadow Yato that had been stained some twenty years earlier.

Suddenly, Kana was seized by her scarf and yanked up onto a saddle. She yelped, but was overpowered by Silas's voice shouting, "That's enough, Kana! I've cleared us a path. Everyone, retreat!"

The Nohrian children obeyed and funneled themselves through the opening in the crowd of Hoshidan civilians and soldiers, although they were spared pursuit this time. They hurried off as the crowd reformed, still shouting frenziedly.

Takumi turned with a grunt and returned to Castle Shirasagi, ordering his men to bring Ryoma back in with him. Saizo followed behind. The soldiers ignored Sakura for the time being, and so she hurriedly joined the children, who were bent over Kiragi, who was badly burnt and struggling to get up. Shiro balled his fist, Asugi tried to help his mother, and Shigure looked off into the distance, following his sister with his eyes as she rode up the trail. She was the one being irrational, wasn't she? And he was just doing his best to further his father's aims, wasn't he?

Shigure let out a long sigh. He had drawn blood from his sister. He felt that was but the first of a long series of difficult decisions that would await him.

[…]

Azura's heart raced when the door opened. There was a myriad of possibilities, of course, but her foolish mind jumped to the best of them immediately, and she chastised herself for it. She was brought out of her daydream when she heard Morgan's voice: "Hey, everybody. I'm back!"

"Would you mind keeping it down?" Jakob chided her, "Lady Azura is asleep. Lord Corrin left on urgent business and she's been worried sick ever since."

"Uh, oops," Morgan said, rubbing the back of her head through her long hair, "I managed to snag that stone, for what it's worth. I picked up some old texts that were lying around in the temple, too. Not sure I quite understood most of them, but I think they might be worth a look."

"You were ordered to pick up the stone, not pilfer everything in the building," Jakob said, "Though, what could I expect from someone who makes her living taking from others? Such a sad subsistence."

"You'd bother me a lot more if I cared what you thought," she replied, smiling at him.

"Arrogant girl," he muttered, storming off.

Morgan turned her head as she heard Azura's footsteps descending the stairs. "Hello, Morgan," she said, "Is it true? Did you get the stone?"

"Yep," she said, nodding, "Sorry if I woke you, but I have the little sucker right here." Azura watched her pull a sky-blue crystalline lump out of the burlap sack and offer it into her hands. Azura took it and stroked the material, as if to verify its authenticity. "I feel like there must be an easier way to go about getting dragonstones," Morgan said, "What makes this one so special?"

"If you look at this imperfection in the center," Azura said as she pointed to a black-and-purple dot in the lower middle of the stone, "you'll see that this stone contains the blood of Anankos. Reinforced by his powers, anyone with his blood will see their draconic abilities greatly enhanced by touching this stone."

"Ah, so it's to give Corrin an edge?" Morgan guessed.

"No, Corrin is strong enough with his Yato," Azura replied, "This will be for one of the children."

Morgan cracked a smile and folded her arms.

"Is something funny?" asked Azura.

"It always amuses me to see how big a deal blood becomes for people," she said, "There were people who really freaked out about lineage where I come from, too, and I read about whole wars that were fought over groups of people having different bloodlines. I guess it's funny to see it be the same here."

"Well, it's effects are very real," Azura said, "It's not an association we have for no reason."

"No, I get it," Morgan said, "It's just… Our blood isn't always our destiny."

Azura cocked an eyebrow at Morgan as she walked toward the kitchen.


	36. The Misanthropic Mastermind

King Xander said nothing when Siegbert finished speaking. His eyes didn't widen in surprise, he didn't jump back, and his mouth didn't hang agape. His eyes tensed and narrowed a bit, and they fell to the floor. He leaned back slowly in his throne and folded his hands together, bouncing his arms gently off his legs a few times. "So, that's it, then," he finally said, "It can't be helped. We have to declare war."

The shock ran through each of the children, but none of them spoke.

"Camilla will be devastated," the king continued, "and Elise… this is… very unwelcome news." He let out a long sigh.

"Is… is it really necessary to go to war?" Kana asked.

He glared at her. "Kana," he said, "I'm surprised you of all people are asking that. It was your father who died, you understand that, right? They murdered him. Of course we have to go to war."

"But you don't seem to like the idea," she said, "and it wasn't really Hoshido's fault, just Prince Takumi's."

"I'm giving you a pass because you don't understand, Kana," replied the king, "but believe me when I say that sometimes whole kingdoms are made to suffer because of one member of their royal family."

"But killing more Hoshidans won't solve anything!" Kana protested, "It'll just make them even angrier, and it won't actually punish the person responsible! That won't accomplish anything, will it? That's not justice!"

Scowling, the king stood. He looked down at Kana, who suddenly became aware of the gap in height between them. She backed up half a step as he glared down at her. "Justice is an illusion," he said, "I had hoped that an experience like this would have taught you that, Kana. You've lived in an idyllic world since you were a child, but it's time to take your head out of the sand and see things as they really are: ours is a world of thieves and murderers, people with no regard for others who desire only to see themselves elevated. The only way we can keep ourselves from falling victim to these people is to become them ourselves, distasteful as it may be. This is the understanding of a Nohrian: people are either powerful or powerless, and only the powerful have a place in Nohr. Truly, only the powerful have any place in this world, as has just been proven. Your father was a great and honorable man, Kana, but his honor and better nature were his end, you've seen that now. The only way we survive is by eliminating those who oppose us."

"That… that can't be right," Kana said quietly, her gaze and her voice falling to the floor.

"Siegbert, go summon your retainers," Xander ordered, "and the rest of you, go speak to your mothers and fathers, tell them to make their preparations. And Silas, once you and Camilla are ready, please take Kana with you. We'll start organizing a plan immediately."

Silas saluted with a "Yes, sir," and the Nohrian children did the same, scattering into different corners of the castle. Kana exchanged one last stare with the king before shaking her head and jogging into another room behind Sophie.

"Hey, uh, Xander?" He looked up and found his wife walking out from behind the throne, placing her hand on his shoulder, "I… hope you don't mind that I listened in. Look, I'm not really good at this whole 'queen' gig, but… I know how much your brother meant to you."

"With all due respect, and without any malice at all, Charlotte," he said, "No, you do not." She stared at him and watched as his head slumped forward. He sat back down in his throne, leaning on his right elbow, and placed his head in his hands, his palm covering his eyes.

[…]

"Well, if it isn't the young Lord Siegbert," Laslow said upon opening the door, "judging by your sour expression, I take it this isn't good news."

"No, Laslow," he said, "I fear it isn't. My father has requested your presence, as well as that of your children and Morgan… Nohr is declaring war on Hoshido."

"What?!" Laslow started, "Whatever for? It must be something quite serious for King Xander to have done such a thing…"

"Lord Corrin appeared and was murdered by Prince Takumi of Hoshido during our visit," said the crown prince.

"Gods…" Laslow said as his eyes narrowed, "Lord Corrin, truly? This is very grave news, indeed. Damn… I should have done more to protect him, but why did he suddenly…? Bah, I'll have to get the details from Morgan. For now, you have our support, as does your father, Lord Siegbert… er, however, only Soleil and I are here right now. Morgan left on another of her trips a week or two ago, and Liam has been absent since this morning."

"I see," Siegbert said, pinching his chin, "do you have any idea where one might find either of them?"

"Morgan could be anywhere," he said, shrugging, "she goes to various places and rarely has time to list all of them. Liam, on the other hand, well… I have one decent guess."

[…]

"Aunty Camilla…" Kana said, wringing her hands, "you're being awfully quiet."

"I'm a little… distracted, that's all," she said in a faint voice, "Oh, mind that crack, Kana, dear! Oh, and that stone, be sure not to stub your toe on it! Are you sure you don't want me to carry you, darling?"

"N-No, I'm okay," she said, looking warily at her aunt, "Are you _sure_ everything's all right?"

"I'm fine, sweetie," said Camilla, "I'm absolutely… fine. Now, let's hurry along and find this little reprobate."

"Yeah, why do we have to find this guy again?" Kana asked.

"His mother agreed to have him act as your retainer in times of crisis," said Camilla, "You know, your Aunt Selena was once my retainer, and your Uncle Odin was once your Uncle Leo's."

"Oh, right," Kana said, nodding, "retainers are those special people who are under the direct command of a member of the royal family. They're like the super-elite of Nohr's army. But isn't there a certain age requirement to officially take on retainers?"

"Your Uncle Xander has decided to waive that requirement in the wake of… er, what happened," Camilla said, "Now, come along, let's not tarry."

"Aunty Camilla?" Kana said, looking up at her.

"Yes, dear?" Camilla responded with big eyes.

"Do… do you think it's right for us to go to war, too?" asked Kana.

Camilla took a deep breath and said, "You know, Kana, I haven't always been the best princess. I wasn't always interested in matters of war and royal duty, but that Prince Takumi… what he's done… he deserves to suffer for it, don't you agree?"

"Yes," she said, nodding slowly, "I'm… still coming to grips with all that. But, what I meant is, do you think it's right to go to war with Hoshido because of that? I mean, if it's all one person's fault…"

"Sweet little Kana-bun," she said, cupping the girl's cheek, "I want you to take some life advice from your dear Aunty Camilla: don't waste your time wondering about right and wrong. People will always judge this way and that after the fact, but all the praise or admonishment in the world doesn't stop what has already happened."

"I guess that makes sense, but—"

"Just a moment, darling," Camilla shushed her, "We're going to go into a place that may have some rough sorts about, so do stay close to your Aunty Camilla, won't you?"

"Yes, aunty," Kana said, standing close and realizing that her head only made it up about as high as her aunt's chest.

The building was noisy, with men stumbling back and forth between tables, shouting and arguing, slamming drinks down, calling out toasts, and harassing the few female servers, who gave them all scowls and pursed lips. As they entered, Kana watched a blond man get punched in the head, falling out of his seat. One of the servers came over, chastising the bald man who had done it and smacking him with a broom while another tried to lift the unconscious blond man. "S-Scary," Kana murmured.

"Don't worry, darling," Camilla said, grabbing Kana's shoulder, "Mom—er, aunty will protect you from the bad people." They both scanned the room, seeking out the young man they had been sent after. A man came stumbling up, muttering something incoherent to Camilla, but she just pushed him out of the way and sent him straight into the wall behind them. As they kept looking around, they found a large number of patrons were forming an oval around one of the gambling tables, with two people at the center. Camilla raised her eyebrows and pulled Kana over.

On one side, there was a man with thick black hair and an equally thick black mustache that extended past into his cheeks. He had dark eyes, and was leering at the other person on the opposite side of the table. His opponent was a young man with blue hair and a black cap, and he was staring icily at his adversary. "Looking at me so intensely," the first gambler said, shaking his head and his mustache, "You must have something quite good. I think I'll fold this round."

His opponent said nothing.

"Here you are," the black-haired man said, tossing a few coins to his opponent, "Now, let's have the next round, shall we?"

A rugged-looking ginger-haired man appeared to deal cards out to each of them. The blue-haired man picked up his cards and let a little grimace slip through. His opponent took notice and wagged his finger. "Your façade is crumbling, little man. Let's raise the bet a little."

"Fine," his opponent said resignedly, "I fold."

"Ah!" the mustached man exclaimed, "how unfortunate! I believe that puts you down to your last few coins, doesn't it? Another loss and you'll have to wash dishes the rest of the day just to be able to get out, won't you?"

"One more round," said the blue-haired man.

"Like any good gambler, I see you never know when to quit, eh, fella?" said the other gambler.

"Hey, dealer," the blue-haired man called.

"What, you're not going to accuse him of cheating, are you?" the black-haired man scoffed, "We both selected him as a neutral party."

"I was just going to ask him to try not to deal me such complete crap this time," the blue-haired man said. "Cheating?" he said, letting out a little smirk, "Now, that would be totally reprehensible."

The black-haired man's eyebrows shifted as the cards were dealt. "What did you mean by that?" he asked.

"Exactly what I said," his opponent replied, "cheating in a game like this? With such low stakes and a casual environment? That'd just be stupid. There must be a million rubes who walk in and out of a place like this just waiting to have their money taken from them, so what kind of idiot would try to cheat in a place like this?"

"W-Why are you asking me?" the black-haired man asked.

"Ever heard of a rhetorical question?" said the blue-haired man.

"A-All right, enough! Now, what are you going to—"

"I'll raise you another two hundred gold."

"Huh? But… but that's all your money. And… your cards! They're still face-down on the table! Don't tell me you haven't even looked at them!"

"Why would that worry you? I'm just another blind sucker waiting to feed you money in that case, aren't I? That is, assuming I didn't sneak a peek while you weren't looking and then left the cards face-down to rattle you."

"N-Now look here, you! You've got to pick up those cards! How do I know _you_ aren't the one cheating? Did you try to fool me with that dealer?"

"Of course not. We picked him together, like you said. Now, are you going to throw around accusations, or are you going to play? If you back out, I win by default."

"D-Don't be stupid! Of course I'm going to play, but you can't just…!"

"Can't what? Not look at my cards? Sure I can. I'm almost definitely going to lose by doing something so stupid, aren't I? The only way not looking at them might be a problem is if somebody switched the cards at some point, and _I_ definitely didn't do that."

"What does that emphasis in your voice mean, huh?!"

"I'm not sure what you're getting so riled up about. My cards are on the table, I've made my bet. Right now, you have two choices: call or fold. You called yourself a master player, so I shouldn't have to remind you of the rules. What's it going to be? Call or fold?"

"I… I… it's… that's…!"

The blue-haired man slammed his fist on the table and glared at his opponent, "Hey! Speak up! I don't have all evening! You either call or you fold, which is it gonna be?!"

"I'm going to… I'm going to… W-What is that?!"

The blue-haired gambler looked down to his side. "This?" he said, lifting a bright yellow lemon, "I had one of the servers bring it to me. I like sucking on citrus fruit when I'm stressed."

"W-When?"

He smirked again. "Oh, you don't know?" he said, "That's interesting… maybe it was just a moment ago, or maybe it was when the game started and you just didn't notice this whole time. Hard to say, really—I can't quite remember…"

The black-haired man balled his fist and panted, "I-I… you…! I'm… I'm going to…!"

"Are you finally ready to play?" the blue-haired gambler said, thereafter cutting a slice of it and introducing it to his mouth before he had a second thought and lowered it, "Or is there something else? Do you want to make it double or nothing? Or maybe we can add an extra wager, something fun, like telling everyone in this bar your biggest secret. How does that sound?"

His opponent's hands started to shake, "S-Secret…? You're not going to…! Look, I know what you're doing, and it won't work on me!"

"That's fantastic, you must be seeing something that even I don't know I'm doing. But, since it won't work on you, I guess it'll be no problem, right? So, make your move already: call or fold?" the blue-haired man told him, popping the slice of lemon between his lips.

"I have to…" the black-haired man sputtered, as if he were choking, "I'm going to… c-c-c-ca…"

"What's that?" the blue-haired gambler shouted leaning onto the table on his right elbow and cupping his ear, "I can't hear you. What's your play?"

"Fine!" his opponent slammed his head down on the table, "I fold! I fold! I fold a thousand times! Just please, please, please leave me alone!"

"That's what I thought," the blue-haired man said, raking the coins over from his opponent's side of the table, "I don't take kindly to two-bit swindlers in my favorite parlor. Get out of here, and take that ugly lip caterpillar with you. Try something like this again and I'll make you fork over a lot more than money."

The black-haired man stood up and fled the room, the circle of onlookers watching with interest as he flung the door open, never slowing down.

Camilla and Kana, too, had joined the crowd to watch this display. Camilla's eyes widened as she looked at the blue-haired gambler's back, and she pushed her way through the crowd to grab his shoulder. "You," she said, "young man, what is your name?"

"That depends on who's asking," he shot back.

"The royal family of Nohr," Camilla replied, unamused.

"Oh. That's a pretty good one," he said, swallowing slowly, "Well, what the heck does Nohr's royal family want from a guy like me?"

"That intricate lace-like mark on your neck," Camilla said, pointing to the purple design that was midway between the base of youth's neck and right shoulder blade, "it looks like a tattoo, but it's actually a birthmark, according to your mother. She told us to look for it when we needed to find you."

"That doesn't answer my question," he said, cutting out another slice of lemon.

"Many years ago, your mother, Morgan, made an agreement with Nohr's royal family to have you act as a retainer to the children of Lord Corrin and Lady Azura in the event of a worldwide emergency," Camilla explained.

"Well, _that's_ just great," he rolled his eyes, "Mother of the year, right there, going and signing me up for—did you say 'worldwide emergency?'"

"Liam, son of Morgan and Laslow, I'd like to introduce you to Lord Corrin and Lady Azura's daughter, Kana," Camilla said. As she did so, she pushed on Kana's back, egging her forward.

"N-Nice to… meet you?" Kana said, gingerly offering her hand.

"If this is a joke, I'd like to say that I find it to be in extremely poor taste," Liam said, looking at the offered hand.

"Nohr is going to war," Camilla said, a bit more roughly, "and you are going to help. You'll protect and serve Lady Kana and answer to her orders without question."

"H-Huh?" he stammered, turning pale, "Does… does that mean fighting, too?"

"Naturally," said Camilla.

"I think there's been some kinda mix-up," Liam said shrugging and slowly rising from his seat, "I don't know what this is all about, but none of the stuff you just said has anything to do with me, sister. Now, if you don't mind, I think I'm just gonna take my winnings and mosey on out of—"

He was interrupted when she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and yanked him back. "This is not negotiable, young man," Nohr's eldest princess said, close to his face.

More color drained from his face as he said, "Now, hold on, where do you get off making scary faces like that? Are you some kind of executioner? Why are you threatening me?"

"You talk too much, kid," she said, dragging him toward the door, "I'm Camilla, Nohr's eldest princess, and if you fall out of line, I may indeed end up being your executioner." Kana walked slowly behind them, not really sure what to do. As they walked out, however, she lingered for a moment and lifted Liam's cards from the table: they were complete junk, of course.

"Hey, won't one of you guys help me?" Liam shouted to the patrons of the parlor, "Come on, I've been making the rounds here for years, don't you lot have any loyalty?"

He received only blank stares.

"Oh, to hell with you guys! I spend money here for years and this is the thanks I get?!"

His rambling was cut off as the door finally shut behind the trio and Camilla pushed him away from the door. "I'm going to have to ask you to stop shouting," the purple-haired princess said, frowning, "It's doing a number on my ears."

He fell to his knees and grabbed her hands, shaking them, "P-P-Princess Camilla! Please, don't make me do this! I'm no good in a fight! I'll get slaughtered!"

"Get up," she commanded, scowling at him, "don't you have any dignity at all?"

"If it's a matter of life or dignity, I'll take life any day of the week!" he replied.

"Oh, I see," she said with a faint glimmer in her eyes, "now I understand. Maybe you do have what it takes after all."

"No!" he protested, "I _definitely_ do not have what it takes! I mean, do you see me? I'm short—well, not that short, I guess, but I am a little less than average height—I have no manners, I'm weak, I gamble, I dress like a loser, I eat weird stuff… I'm not courtly material at all!"

"Then don't come along," Camilla said, sighing and walking away, "but, if you do, I'll be forced to tell your mother and father that you deliberately ignored your duty…"

He slouched and said, "That just isn't fair."

Kana walked past him, saying nothing, emulating her aunt. The blue-haired man let out a long sigh and started dragging his feet toward them. "I hate you people already," he said.


	37. Great Minds

The atmosphere in Castle Shirasagi was strange, to put it plainly. The halls glittered white with daylight and dust flitted through the air, visible in the long streams of sunshine pouring in through the windows, but nothing in the building stirred. The air was silent, as if dead, despite all that had happened. In one room on the castle's second floor, however, something did move: one blue-haired prince came to speak to another.

Kiragi found Shigure sitting on the floor in the center of his room, instead of his bed or the chair by his desk. Sheets of paper bearing musical notes had spilled off the desk and slipped under it. Shigure lifted his head as his cousin entered the room. "Hey Shigure," Kiragi said cheerfully. Or he tried to—the silence made it difficult to smile.

"Hello, Kiragi," his cousin replied quietly.

"Is… is everything okay? I mean, I know it's not all _okay_ , but, like, are you—"

"I'm all right. But I am quite bothered. I broke one of my rules."

"One of your rules?"

"Once I took up the blade, I swore I'd never use it to bring harm to any woman or child who hadn't already struck at me. The person I hurt was my sister, no less."

"You really think that Kana girl is your sister?"

"I've never been more convinced of anything in my life. Her ability to transform into a dragon… that's something only a member of my family could do."

"So, by extension, that would mean the guy my dad killed…"

"I believe he was my father, yes."

Kiragi frowned. "Shigure, I'm not sure what to say. I'm so sorry. I know finding your father was one of your greatest dreams…"

"It's not your fault, Kiragi. It's only Lord Takumi's, and the more people that can realize that, the better."

"It's so strange… my dad wasn't always like that." The prince pinched his chin. "He was always a little mopey, but that was just how he was. He was never angry or violent like this… I don't get it."

Shigure paused. "I don't know much about Lord Takumi—he never seemed to want much to do with me, but I've never known Lord Saizo to be so rash. Maybe the roots of that hatred run deeper than we even realize. I can't even imagine what I'd do if someone hurt you, Asugi, or Shiro."

"Ditto. But, just the same, hurting people like that… it's a lot for me to wrap my head around. Mom's pretty upset, too." Upon recalling this, Kiragi frowned again.

"You know we can't let him go on," Shigure said, looking up at his cousin.

"M-My dad?" the prince stuttered, "Y-Yeah, sure, but… what are we going to do?"

"We have to depose him quickly—it's the only way. We have to reinstall King Ryoma on the throne, and then we can calm everyone down, maybe we can even convince the Nohrians that this was all a big misunderstanding."

"You… really think they'll believe that?"

"No, but it's the best shot we have."

"So, when you say 'depose…'"

"I just mean take him off the throne. Ideally, we could make him give it up voluntarily—that would do a lot to ease tensions. I don't have any intention of killing him."

Kiragi sighed. "That's a relief. I guess I should go tell Shiro and Asugi."

"Hold on. We have to be careful—Lord Takumi seems to be pulling guards out of nowhere, and I'm sure he doesn't want us spreading this sort of talk. We have to be discreet if we're going to do this."

"Point taken." Waiting another minute in silence, Kiragi scratched the back of his neck and added, "I appreciate you sticking with Hoshido, despite everything that's happened."

Shigure smiled. "Hoshido has been my home for many years. I can't abandon it in its time of greatest need because one man did something awful. I know that the people of Hoshido are honest at heart, and I won't allow Nohr to slaughter them because of a mistake."

"I wish I could be as confident as you, Shigure. I'm inspired just hearing you say that—like I know you can see it through, as tough as it seems."

"I might not be a prince, but I take my position as Hoshidan nobility seriously," he said, ending with a smile, "Now, hurry out of here. We can't be seen spending too much time together, or your father will grow suspicious. For now, try to quietly inform the others."

"On it!"

The door shut quietly and Shigure shut his eyes. There was a lot to process even beyond how they would sort out Lord Takumi's sudden outburst: what had been his father's goal in returning? He spoke of some greater threat, and he had apparently told Kana that the Yato was the key to defeating that threat, but what could be a greater threat than a war between Nohr and Hoshido?

He also began to wonder where his mother was.

[…]

Her ears perked up as soon as she heard the door click. She cursed herself for acting like a puppy, ready to bound into the other room at the mere sound of his return, but had been sitting in silence and drinking tea for what felt like hours. The stress of waiting had begun to eat away at her, and she could feel her heart thumping violently in her chest. She wanted so badly to embrace him and their daughter and to finally see them on the next step toward happiness.

She was so excited, in fact, that she forgot a bit of standard protocol: she rose and answered the door before anyone else without asking for the password. It didn't matter, however: he was standing right in front of her! "Corrin," she said, smiling at him, "How did things go with Takumi?"

"It was… rough, Azura. Things are very bad in Hoshido," he answered.

"He wasn't cooperative, hm?" she said, taking steps back to let him in, "I guess I can't say I'm surprised. Anything from Ryoma? He's a bit more reasonable."

"I don't think Hoshido is going to help us," he said, following her in.

"Really?" Her eyes widened a little. "You were so sure before…"

"I guess even I can't just will the impossible to happen."

"I suppose. I wonder how Shigure is getting along with the children in Hoshido? Maybe he could be an asset to us… did you get to speak to him at all?"

"No. Takumi wanted me in and out."

"Rats. Maybe I could slip in under cover of night…"

"That's a bad idea. Takumi's got the whole place guarded. It's very dangerous, and I don't think anyone would hesitate to kill you on sight if they thought you were trying to disrupt something."

"I wonder if Takumi would be more receptive to me, then."

"Azura," Corrin said, taking her hand, "I'm sorry, could we stop speaking about Hoshido for a minute?"

"Certainly, but why?"

"I've been missing you terribly in the time I've been gone," he said, smiling slyly at her, "Would you permit me a kiss, my darling?"

She blushed. "Oh, Corrin. I guess I can't refuse you…"

"Lady Azura, don't!" They both turned their heads to see Morgan vaulting over the railing leading down the stairs to meet them in the dining room. Before Azura could question it, Morgan punched Corrin in the face, knocking him to the floor.

"M-Morgan!" Azura started, "What in the name of…"

"Don't be fooled, Lady Azura," Morgan told her, grabbing Corrin's arm, "This isn't Lord Corrin—it's one of those hollow creatures Anankos made! Look in his hands!"

Azura started as she noticed that her husband was holding a very sharp-looking blade close to his arm, almost concealing it.

"Th-This is ridiculous!" Corrin shouted, "It's me, Azura! Tell Morgan to let me go!"

"What's her birthday, huh?" Morgan asked, throttling him.

"March third!" he shouted.

"That's right," Azura said, "Um… w-where did you propose to me?"

"The pond, right by Castle Krakenburg!" he shouted again.

Azura glanced over at Morgan. "Morgan…" she began.

"No, it's nonsense!" she told Azura, "Here's an important question: where's your Yato, Corrin?"

"The… the Yato…"

"Yes, your treasured sword that is integral to the war effort against Anankos, where is it?"

"It's… it's…" He made a grunt and kicked at Morgan's face, knocking her back. He stood and pulled the dagger and made a lunge for Azura, but he was stopped in his tracks by a knife piercing his arm. He looked over to find Jakob standing in the doorway.

"Don't bother trying to fool me," said the butler, "I can tell just by looking at you that you aren't my lord. Besides, I saw everything that just happened. And you know, there's nothing I hate more than pretenders to nobility."

The being impersonating Corrin groaned and yelled at them, "Enjoy your safety for now. Lord Anankos will send more soldiers here, and they will kill _all_ of you!"

"You first," Morgan said, pulling out her sword. The imposter scowled at her and bolted out the door at an almost inhuman speed.

"…Thank you, Morgan," Azura said, catching her breath, "I was so caught up, I would have never noticed…"

"It's what I'm here for," she replied with a little smile, "but… there's a problem here. Are you seeing it, Lady Azura?"

"Problem? No, I'm afraid I don't."

"The people that Anankos has enslaved, what's the common denominator between them all?"

"Er, they're all Vallites?"

"Yes, but more specifically, what happened to them?"

"Hm? Well, they're all people that… Anankos… killed."

Morgan stayed silent and folded her arms.

"And Kana wasn't with him."

"Lady Azura…"

"Oh. Oh, gods. I… I…" Azura sputtered as she slowly fell back into one of the chairs around the dining table.

"We don't know anything for sure yet," Morgan said, "but we _do_ know that it's going to get very dangerous around here very quickly. I'd like to suggest we make a strategic exit."

Azura was silent. She touched her own cheek as if to check if it were still there.

"Azura…"

"Forget it," she said in a small voice.

"What?"

"Don't bother about me. I'm just going to… stay here."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was born in Valla. It's only appropriate I spend my final moments here, too."

"These aren't your final moments, Azura. We just have to keep moving. We'll go to Nohr and see what we can glean from King Xander and the others. We'll put together a plan. It won't be easy, but we'll keep looking for a way."

"There's no point. He said the same thing once. Corrin, I mean. 'Nothing dies but the will to go on living.' He said those words at what was once the most despairing moment in my life, and here's what they've gotten him. Don't you see? This is just fate: we're all destined to expire at the hands of Anankos, his madness consuming all until this world is utterly destroyed. I've spent so long fighting it, but I'm tired now. Existence… is futile."

"I knew someone who started thinking like that once," Morgan said, standing up straight, "She was in a position not unlike yours. She thought her world was as good as dead: she watched friends, family, and friends of family all die before her very eyes, running from place to place just hoping to stay alive. She thought she might be killed at any moment. She started to despair: would there even be people left alive after how long things had gone on? What kind of life could be waiting for her even if she miraculously succeeded? Do you know what she did? She pushed on and figured out the details later. She kept living on, for the sake of everyone she cared about, if for no other reason than to spare them the pain of watching her die, too. And she won, Azura. In the end, she won."

"Morgan, while your stories are often quite droll, I don't find any interest in this one. You don't realize the immensity of Anankos's power—"

"Let me tell you another little tale: you see this mark near my navel?" she asked, lifting up her shirt.

"Your birthmark. Yes, you've shown us it before—"

"It's more than a birthmark. It's more than an indication of my heritage. It's a sign that I'm descended from the blood of an ancient dragon from my world. He's called Grima. In one of the worlds I left behind, he possessed my father."

"Descended… from a dragon?"

"Not just any dragon, either. Grima is the scourge of humanity in my world. He's a monster with no regard for the lives of others. A god gone mad with his desire to end the world. And my father and I, we stood against him together."

"Morgan… I'm not sure…"

"I don't care if you believe me or not right now, but I want you to hear something: in the world I left behind, my father was possessed with Grima, but in the world I shared with him, he rejected Grima's influence. He tricked him, and he stood together with his allies to kill the beast. He refused to accept fate, and he went and punched it right in the throat. And fate yielded."

"You come from a very strange place, Morgan."

"Tell me about it."

"All the same… I can't come with you."

"Oh for… what more do I have to say to you, Azura?"

"I need… time. And I need to learn about what happened. More than anything, I need to make sure my children are safe. I haven't seen Shigure in so many years…"

"Ah, now _that_ I understand," Morgan said with a sigh, "I need to see my little ones, too. All right, why don't I take Felicia and Flora back to Nohr with me? You can ride with the stiff and Grumpy Gus."

"Um…"

"Jakob and Gunter. Take Jakob and Gunter with you to Hoshido."

"Which one of those am I, so I know how offended to be?" Jakob asked.

[…]

Kana walked slowly behind her aunt, keeping a close eye on the young man that was traveling with them. He had thin patches of fuzz along his jaw line that made him look scraggly, his clothes didn't fit him well, and his cap was tilted at a strange angle, forcing his hair into unnatural, jagged spikes. She wondered what could be so special about such a shabby-looking guy.

Suddenly, he jabbed a finger at her. "I see the way you're looking at me," he said, "Right now, you're thinking something like 'What could be so special about such a shabby-looking guy,' right?"

Morgan was too startled to say anything.

"I get it," Liam continued without paying attention to her, "A lot of people dismiss me because I look scrawny, but there's more to life than just being strong, you know? Sometimes, a bit of luck and smarts are more than enough to get past all the physical ability in the world. And as you may have noticed, I've got decent stores of both."

"Not to mention your deep sense of humility," Camilla added, not looking back.

"So, if you can't fight, what _do_ you do?" Morgan asked.

"Well," he said, rubbing his neck, "My mom was a strategist in her day. I guess that's what I'm good at: making plans. It's pretty easy to get things to go your way as long as you plan ahead."

"I see."

"But don't get me wrong, this doesn't make us buddy-buddy. I still don't like being dragged into this. I don't really like either of you at the moment, if I can speak freely."

"Permission denied," said Camilla.

"You're awfully… prickly to people you just met," said Kana.

"Consider the situation," Liam said, raising his eyebrows at her, "besides, people are nothing but trouble. Either they're naïve enough that you have to worried about them being manipulated against you, or they're strong-willed enough to spontaneously ruin any plan you might set forth. If I can avoid incorporating people into the plan, I will."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Kana, darling, is he bothering you?" Camilla asked, "Are your feet tired? Do you want Aunty Camilla to carry you?"

"No, aunty, I'm okay," she said, "thanks."

"Nobles," Liam scoffed.

[…]

The halls of Castle Krakenburg were as crowded as they had been in years: Xander, Leo, Camilla, and Elise all stood assembled in the king's chamber as in days of old, only they were now accompanied by all their spouses and children. Liam and Kana hung toward the back of the group.

"Thank you for gather so quickly, everyone," Xander announced, calling their attention, "I wish it could be under happier circumstances. Unless I'm mistaken, everyone has heard the news about Corrin."

There were several nods and general murmurs of agreement.

"Then there should be no need for further explanation. I'm prepared to launch a full-scale invasion of Hoshido in retaliation for their actions. Their Prince Takumi is to be executed at the first opportunity, and we will not stop until we have seized the throne in Castle Shirasagi. In order to coordinate this attack, I have employed several of Nohr's most prolific strategists and military advisors, among whom I count my brother Leo, my sister Elise, General Silas, and a woman some of you may not recognize, but who has acted as a valuable informant for Nohr since the beginning of its reconstruction. Morgan, you may come forward."

The ruby-red-haired woman stepped up alongside Xander and greeted the crowd. "I'm glad to be able to officially speak to all of you. I know some of you may distrust me or consider me an outsider, but I've been acting as a tactician all my life. I swear I won't lead you astray—it's time for us to finally tip the scales in favor of Nohr." She peered back into the crowd and smiled. "Some of you may also know that I married one of King Xander's retainers, Laslow. He and my two darling children will be joining us in this endeavor. With that said, I return the floor to King Xander that I might go speak with them." She did as she said and left the stage, bounding toward the silver-haired man and the redheaded girl at the back of the audience. "Hey, handsome," she said, kissing her husband.

"Good to see you again, dear," he said, holding her.

She turned to Soleil and patted her head, "Hey, kiddo! How's that sword practice going?"

"Oh, just great!" she said, "Only… I broke another dummy."

"Aw, no worries, mom'll get you another one. I know some people."

"Thanks! Have you been using that moisturizer I gave you? You're glowing!"

"Teehee. Stop it, don't flatter your old mom."

"I'm not kidding! You always have such an air of accomplishment about you, mom."

"Only because I'm so proud of my babies. I assume you're all set for this?"

"I've been training for this sort of thing my whole life, basically, so… yeah."

"Good. Now, where's that slacker brother of yours?"

"He came in with Kana," Soleil said, jabbing her thumb further back to the light blue-haired girl and royal blue-haired boy behind them.

"There's mama's big boy," Morgan cooed, grabbing her son's cheek and pulling it.

"Ow! Knock that off!" he protested.

"You haven't been wasting your days at gambling parlors again, have you?"

"N-No."

"You wouldn't tell lies your mom can easily disprove, would you?"

"Uh, no."

"Liam, gambling?"

"Lots."

"Thought so."

"It's your fault! What am I supposed to do when I don't have anybody around to play chess with?"

"You're going to donate everything you won to the local orphanage, right?"

He sighed. "Yes, mom."

"Good boy. We'll play some chess later."

"I wish you were around to play more often…"

"What was that?"

"I said sticking me here was awful. Why'd you make this dumb agreement about me being some girl's retainer?"

"For one, 'some girl' is the daughter of a guy your mom respects a whole lot, so I expect you to treat her with more respect. For another, I knew that if Nohr were to go to war, they'd probably end up conscripting lots of men from small towns and villages. With that pledge, I could make sure that I stayed close to you. How's that for planning ahead?"

"It's… pretty clever, actually."

"Don't doubt your mom, sweetie," she said, putting her index finger up to her chin.


	38. Open Game

"Cadros. It's good to see you, my friend." The blue-haired man looked up to see a familiar shrouded face jogging toward him.

"Patria," he said upon recognizing him, "You as well. You look… worn. Is something troubling you?"

"Have you heard the news?" he asked.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific."

"The fighting, Cadros."

"Ah, between the dragons, you mean? The Dawn and Dark Dragon, I believe they've been called. Yes, I know of it quite well. It bodes ill for all of us, does it not?"

"Without question. Cadros… you may want to stay indoors for some time. Fighting between the dragons will surely mean danger for all humans."

"I appreciate your counsel, but I must reject it."

"And why is that?"

"While this feud may be dangerous, it does not give us license to shy away from it. It's unfortunate that a simple difference of opinion has led to such violence, but that's all the more reason to try and find a way to ease these tensions quickly, before things escalate."

"You're a brave man, Cadros, but placing yourself between these dragons will certainly lead to your death."

"Then perhaps, if nothing else, my death will force them to reconsider their actions. If I should die in order to protect the other humans of this world, then die I shall."

For the first time, Cadros could see a glimmer appearing from beneath his friend's hood, though he could not make out any facial features. "You really do care that much for humanity, don't you?"

"Of course," Cadros said as he smiled, "I am a human, so it's only natural that I want the best for humanity. My life is short, but if it can be given to create lasting change, then it is surely a worthwhile exchange. Just look at all that humanity has managed to accomplish in its short time on this world, Patria… isn't all that worth protecting?"

"I agree, but I fear that this is a battle that cannot be won, friend. The dragons are a stubborn and angry lot, and they will never bow to a mere human, no matter how noble his intentions."

"They don't need to bow to me. Only to each other."

Patria stood still, prompting Cadros to lean his head to each side, pondering his friend's actions. He surmised that the strange man must be studying his face, and stopped moving it to accurately convey his intentions to the hooded figure across from him.

"If you would take suffering upon yourself for humanity," said Patria, "I have something I would like to offer you, Cadros. It is a terrible, horrible, painful gift, but I feel that it may help you achieve your ends."

Cadros stood quietly and looked at him.

The man pulled a sword out from within his robes—a sword that seemed to be made of gold, but was muted, dull, and lifeless, even under the bright rays of the sun. Four notches had been made in the blade, near its base, and they, too, were dark and dead, as if awaiting the breath of some energy.

Cadros shook his head, saying, "No, no. More blades will only worsen the divide."

"It's not a blade to antagonize, Cadros. It's a blade made for defending. It's not an assault, it's a threat. It's not a question, it's an answer."

"I don't understand. What are you telling me, friend? From whence did this blade come?"

"You may not believe me, but this blade is called Yato, and it is forged with the power of the dragons. It can be used to keep them at bay and, moreover, when all spirits in this world are united, it possesses the power to triumph over any foe."

"In that case, it would be some gift you're giving me."

"It's only because I trust you so greatly, Cadros. You have shown me many things about humanity that even now I fail to comprehend. What I do understand, however, is that I, too, wish to protect humanity. I want to stand by your side in your quest to calm the storm of war. I… I treasure our friendship, Cadros, and I would not see it be broken if I had the means to prevent it."

"You are a curious fellow, Patria."

Patria was quiet and took a step forward, offering the sword once more.

"But you remain my friend," Cadros decided, reaching out to take the gift. As he touched the hilt, the blade gleamed bright enough to make Cadros shield his eyes. When he uncovered them, he saw two ruby specks shine under Patria's hood, and then looked down at the blade to find it had taken on a pale bluish aura, and it now felt warm in his hand as Patria released it. "What a strange sensation," Cadros thought aloud.

"This power is our bond made manifest, Cadros," his friend said, "Without it, this blade shall be as dull as stone, but so long as it lives, no weapon formed against it shall prosper."

"Let us hope you are correct," said Cadros.

[*]

The lighting in his bedchamber was strange when Shigure woke up. The skies were a somewhat unpleasant mix of pink and purple, signaling dark had just begun to break in favor of dawn, and the room was distinctly colder than he remembered it being when he fell asleep. He found one of the windows slightly ajar and attributed that to being the problem, and only then became aware of the presence of a burning stare on his face. He rolled his head over and lifted it, along with his shoulders, from the bed to find a fair-faced blue-haired woman with golden eyes looking at him with pursed lips. He realized quickly that the shade of blue and the white of her dress were intensely familiar.

"Shigure," she said in a whisper, startling him, "It's good to see you again. Mostly, anyway. I'm surprised by how much you've grown."

"I'm… sorry," was all he could muster, between the sleep still clouding his mind and the extreme oddity of the situation. He thought for a moment that he must be dreaming.

"You don't recognize me?" the woman asked, frowning, "I suppose it's only natural; I _have_ been gone for quite some time."

He meant to ask "Who are you?" or "What are you doing here?", but in his drowsiness, he simply muttered, "Huh?"

"My name is Azura," the woman said, "and I am your mother, Shigure."

His mind lurched. "Mother?" he repeated.

"That's right."

"M-Mother," he said again, slowly rising from the bed, "I've… missed you."

She stood, too, and embraced him as he drew close, a little surprised to find that her arms weren't long enough to make her fingers meet along his back—he really had grown considerably. "I missed you too, Shigure," she said, her voice muffled by his clothes, "more than you may realize. I love you, my son. And I've come to speak to you about something of grave importance." Had her face not been buried in his chest, he might have heard the shudder in her voice, but her certainly felt the desperation with which her fingers pressed against him as she held him.

"And what is that?" He broke the hug.

"It's my understanding that your father, a man by the name of Corrin, may have been… killed. Do you know anything about that?"

"Yes…" His eyes fell to the floor, unable to meet those of his mother. "After Prince Takumi pushed the Nohrian children to retreat, they came back, and suddenly, Lord Corrin—er, my father appeared with the girl called Kana in tow. He asked Prince Takumi to cease his aggression before it got out of hand and tried to describe some greater threat… not altogether very well, though, I'd say. Prince Takumi became angry and shot him, and he fell, driving Kana into a rage. She transformed into a dragon and ravaged the town square."

"How awful," Azura said with a grimace. She took a moment to hang her head, forced to admit to herself what she hadn't wanted to believe, but now there could be no denying it. She realized that her son was watching her carefully and lifted her head, blinking a few times to remove any trace of moisture. She tried to continue where she left off: "Shigure, you may also be interested to know that Kana is—"

"My sister. Yes, I had deduced that much. I gave her the dragonstone you gave me all those years ago, mother."

"Well, now. I see you're as clever as you are strong. In that case…" Azura reached into her dress and took out the dragonstone Morgan had found for her. "Take this," she said, "I think you'll find it of considerable use."

"I aim to be worthy of my mother, friend to the royal family of Hoshido," he said, taking the stone and putting it into a satchel on his belt.

"You've already surpassed me, I stand assured of that. Tell me something else, Shigure: where is your sister now? And do you know what became of your father's sword?"

"Conveniently, I can answer both those questions at once: Kana obtained father's sword when I calmed her down using the dragonstone, and then she retreated to Nohr with the rest of her family."

"My, what a complicated situation we have already… Do you know the Yato's purpose, Shigure?"

"I only heard that it was the key to whatever threat father was warning Prince Takumi of."

"That's correct. The Yato is a uniquely powerful blade, reinforced by the sacred weapons of the royal family of both Hoshido and Nohr. In order to achieve its maximum potential, it must be empowered by the trust of the wielders of all four weapons."

"Strange. What foe would it be used on if Hoshido and Nohr both trusted its wielder?"

"Precisely."

"Is there… some kind of third party in all this?"

"There is, but I'm prevented from getting too specific. I would like you to come to the lake near the castle with me so that I may tell you more."

"Very well, but… how much more is there to tell?"

"There is much to discuss, suffice it to say."

Shigure was prepared to offer a comment, but before he could open his mouth again, there came a series of loud shouts from the corridor beyond his room. He and his mother stood silent and listened in.

"You… you can't do this!" a voice protested. It belonged to a man that neither Shigure nor Azura recognized. "I've always guarded the castle! My family lives in the castle town!" he continued.

"We must all relinquish some comforts for the good of Hoshido," they heard Takumi's voice say in reply, "Stop your groveling and report to Captain Hinata. He will instruct you as to your assignment."

"L-Lord Takumi, please!"

There was a sharp sound, followed by a rough, dull one. "Enough!" Takumi shouted, "I am not my brother—you will do as I command without exception. Now, get up and do as you were told!"

"Yes… yes, sir."

More footsteps began to make their way through the halls, and Shigure could hear the doors to various chambers swinging open and shouts being projected into them.

"It sounds like Prince Takumi is recruiting for his campaign," Shigure said, frowning at the door, "Mother, you must hide yourself."

"Shigure, my son," she said, pursing her lips, "What will you do? If you're asked to join Takumi…"

"I'll do what I have to," he said, "I'll be glad to fight for Hoshido, just not under his name. If I'm forced to operate under him for a time in order to make things work, then that's just what I'll have to do."

"But what of Kana? She'll most likely end up with Nohr's army…"

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. If it does, maybe I can convince her to join me once she understands the severity of the situation."

"And if not?"

"Mother, you need to hide quickly if you don't want to be captured."

"It's a dangerous road you're preparing to walk, Shigure. If you follow it, you may find that things don't turn out as well as you'd planned. Remember that. And remember that you always have the freedom to seek a different path."

She took a step toward the window before Shigure interrupted her. "Mother," he said, "I have a request: I suspect that I'll be able to have Asugi, Kiragi, and Shiro join me against Lord Takumi—they're my family, and I believe that they will trust in me if they are shown adequate reason, but there is one man whose help I sorely need but cannot convince. You were once close to King Ryoma, were you not? If that's the case, show him whatever it was you meant to show me, and have him relay it to me. Then we can all be joined to stop Takumi."

"I fear it's not all so simple as—"

Footsteps approached the door.

"We haven't time for discussion. That is my request, mother. Please, see it fulfilled."

Azura leapt out the window and dug her hands into the stones along the walls to climb down as the guards threw open the doors to Shigure's chamber.

Takumi was staring him down as he entered. Shigure tried to meet his gaze, but was distracted by his eyepatch. "Shigure," he said slowly, regaining the Vallite prince's attention, "Don't think I didn't see what happened yesterday: you were aiding the enemy!"

"That's not true!" he argued, "I was calming her down. If I didn't she would have hurt more innocent Hoshidans."

"And she attacked you afterward." Takumi shook his head. "Let that be a lesson to you: there can be no trust between Nohr and Hoshido. Now, you drove her off, so I'm willing to be lenient with you, but I can't have you making any seditious moves, so I think I have a compromise in mind."

Shigure swallowed. "And what's that?"

"You'll be going to the outer border of Hoshido, to the town of Okasho. You'll patrol the border with the other guards there and be the first one to respond if Nohr attacks from the west."

Shigure grimaced. "Y-Yes, sir."

"And Shigure?"

"Hm?"

"I'm no fool, and I know you aren't one, either. We both know how deeply you're involved in all this… don't think I'll be taking my eye off you for even a second."

"Y-Yes, sir."

"All right, we're done here," Takumi said, turning around and signaling to the guards, "Come on, Kiragi—next room."

Kiragi lingered in Shigure's doorway just long enough to cast a worried look at his cousin before he was pulled along.

[…]

The knock at the door caused him to bolt upright out of his chair. Kaze looked over at Mozu, who was holding onto Midori tightly, despite Midori's protests that she was fine and no longer needed the comfort. Mozu's expression was fearful, telling Kaze that she didn't know what to do. The knocking came to the door again, and Kaze took slow steps toward it.

When he approached the wooden frame, he pulled the door open a crack and put his eyes up to it, ready to slam it and run back to grab his family. "Who goes there?" he demanded.

"Kaze, I presume?" a voice said with a Nohrian-sounding accent. There was a silver-haired man in a black vest with a white shirt underneath on the other side of the door, "I've come on behalf of Lord Corrin and Lady Azura. May I have a word?"

Kaze didn't move the door. "Lord Corrin is dead, and I have not spoken to Lady Azura in years," he said, "now, begone."

"Just a moment," the man protested, sticking his foot in the door before it could swing closed, "Do you really not recognize me? I was right there with the rest of milord's servants—Felicia, Flora, and you, to a lesser extent."

"Wha—?" Kaze blinked, and in another moment, the door slowly opened. "You're… the sharp-tongued one, aren't you? Jakob, right?"

"If that's how you choose to remember me," Jakob said indignantly, "I'll be billing you for damaging my shoes, by the way."

Mozu shook in the other room, still holding Midori close. Kaze looked back at her and said, "It's all right, dear. I know this one."

She relaxed her grip, but kept on staring at Jakob.

"Er, my apologies," the butler said, "I didn't realize we were intruding at such a... difficult time. Being that you are a ninja and skilled in the business of gathering intelligence, however, we wondered if we might ask you a few questions."

"Who is 'we?'" Kaze asked.

"He's referring to me," Gunter said, walking through the door and standing between them, arms folded behind his back, "I am Gunter, a knight of Nohr. I looked after Lord Corrin when he was but a lad. I've since… been on a kind of hiatus. Nonetheless, I'm here for Lord Corrin's sake, as is Jakob. I hope you won't mind me too much."

"No…" the ninja said hesitantly, "Anyone who serves Corrin is worth at least a small amount of trust. Now, what is it you want to ask me about? I haven't been at court all this time, so—"

"We're not interested in the goings-on at Castle Shirasagi," Jakob cut him off, "but we would like to know a bit more about Prince Takumi and his life after the war."

"I don't know what makes you think…"

"Your secret correspondence with Lord Corrin was only a secret to Hoshido. We knew all about it."

"Ah."

"Now, I'm going to repeat the question: what can you tell us about Prince Takumi's movements after the war?"

[…]

"Well… here we are again," Morgan said, sitting down and watching the candle beside her flicker.

"I thought we came here to get out of the way of this sort of thing," Owain said, sighing.

"Oh, come on, I think, deep down, all of us were expecting the thrill of some new danger when we agreed to come here," Inigo replied.

"Maybe you all were, but _I_ was finally getting used to being treated like a princess. You know, the way I always should be. I mean, gawds, I _just_ got my hair fixed. You think these twintails just grow that way? They don't," Severa added.

Morgan laughed. "Sorry I haven't been around to chat with you guys much," she said, "I've been pretty busy."

"It's fine," Severa told her, "If anything, we should really be thanking you for taking all that extra work off our shoulders… not that you should actually be expecting me to say it, mind."

"We're sorry we couldn't be there for you after what happened to your mom," said Owain, "Anna was a great woman, and Severa and I were both devastated to hear about it. Seriously, Severa was crying and everything, going on about the time she helped her pick out these bows for her hair…"

"Keep your mouth shut you idiot!" Severa elbowed him in the ribs.

"That was a family matter, so don't worry about it," said Morgan, "I was fine keeping it between Inigo and me. And Corrin's cadre, of course."

"We're cousins by law," Owain said, "so, when you say 'family…'"

"Speaking of which," Inigo interrupted him, "let's address the elephant in the room: Prince Corrin is dead, which means, effectively… that we failed our mission."

Owain and Severa's heads sunk.

"I wouldn't say that yet," Morgan spoke up, "What we have is just a change of parameters. It's a big blow to our efforts that Corrin is dead, but we can't let up just because of that. I don't know if you three noticed, but he managed to pass the Yato on to his daughter before he left us, which means we still have hope. We have to make Kana our priority going forward."

"A prince shot dead, leaving his divine sword to his daughter to prevent the world from disaster at the hands of a monstrous dragon," Severa recounted, "Tell me I'm not the only one getting déjà-vu."

"We _are_ practically dragon-slaying experts at this point," Inigo agreed, "Now it's just a matter of stopping a large-scale conflict between the two biggest powers in this world. Nice and simple."

"Owain Dark, Expert Dragon Slayer," said the blond, "I like the sound of that."

"Let's not lose sight of things," Morgan said, "We'll take it one day at a time—we'll protect Kana as best we can, make sure she understands the purpose of that Yato, and deal with the Nohrians and Hoshidans as necessary until we figure out our next move."

Inigo let out a little laugh. "Funny, isn't it? Here we are, two royals of Ylisse, the daughter of a Ylissean pegasus knight, and one scion of Plegian royalty, all working together while these Hoshidans and Nohrians just keep going at it. If they only knew."

"My dad always used to say that everyone thinks they want a war until they start one," Morgan said, "Maybe they'll realize midway through that this is a bad idea, like last time."

"That's not much consolation to the people who died before the halfway mark," said Severa.

"You can't start assessing damages before the disaster is over," Morgan said, "That one's from my mom."

"By the way, King Xander's announcement seemed to suggest you're being consulted as part of the planning for this campaign, is that right?" Owain asked.

Morgan nodded. "Yep. Right alongside him, Leo, and Elise. We're the best strategists in Nohr, according to him."

"Good, I was hoping for a chance to have you catch up with Elise and 'Odin,'" Owain said, "I wanted to talk to you about Soleil."

"Hee hee," Morgan giggled, clasping her hands together, "isn't she precious? So smiley and outgoing…"

"Yeah, but… she's been making Ophelia a bit uncomfortable lately. Remember how they used to have sleepovers?"

"Sure."

"They don't anymore."

"Well that's no good. Don't worry, I'll have a talk with her."

"She started hitting on Forrest, too," Severa added, "She stopped for a bit when she realized he was a guy, but she's been doubling down lately. If either of your children was going to be a horn-dog like their father, I figured it'd be your son."

"Horn-dog?" Inigo repeated indignantly.

"You had your first date with Morgan because she saw how much you got turned down," Severa reminded him.

"T-True, but…"

"In fairness, Inigo has toned it down to harmless flattery, as of late," Morgan noted.

"That's because I already have the perfect woman," he said.

"Smooth," she replied, awarding him a quick kiss.

"I think Owain and I'll get moving if you two can't find a room," Severa said.

Morgan laughed again. "Just keep the plan in mind, everyone: one day at a time, we'll figure it out, just like we always have."


	39. A Death in the Family

The voyage to Hoshido was slated to be a long one, and as much as Liam would have liked to stay below decks on the ship, it was getting uncomfortably hot and stuffy down there. The presence of many bodies nauseated him, so he was forced to slowly walk up onto the deck, where he leaned over a railing, staring at the churning sea. The glare from the sun on the waves hurt his eyes, and the pale violet-blue mix at the edge between the water and the horizon made for a lackluster visual, so he was stuck staring blankly, looking without looking.

King Xander had decided that Nohr would invade one of Hoshido's southern ports, since Hoshido had very few naval forces to speak of, especially after the routing of Prince Takumi's invasion a few decades ago. Hoshido would doubtless have many defenses prepared on their western border, so Nohr's best hope was to circumvent them and make a beeline for the capital. He had managed to hear some of the planning, pressing his ear to the door of the room after his mother entered and well before they set sail. King Xander's fury was directed evenly at all Hoshidans, but he knew that overthrowing Prince Takumi's coup d'état was the fastest way to bring an end to this nonsense. This had been Morgan's contribution to the plan: she mentioned she had experience subverting extremist usurpers, and given some of the tales she had told him, Liam believed it. Odin, Laslow, and Selena had all agreed that her claim was true, and so Xander deferred to her.

It was Elise's interjection that reminded them how Nohr's approach to war could be changed: without King Garon present, and minus the corrupting influence of traitors like Iago and Hans, and given its relative superiority over the Hoshidans, Nohr's army could once again afford to be merciful. Elise had reminded those present at the war council that there were likely many Hoshidans who resented the way their leadership was turning, and to take advantage of that fact was to take one more certain step toward victory. She said that the battle for public favor was often the silent killer for tyrants, and the success of the Moonlight Prince stood as proof.

Leo liked to play devil's advocate (part of his legal studies as a Nohrian prince had included literally being asked to create defenses for various demonic entities—an example of the humor of the Nohrian legal system; upon his success, another suspect would theoretically be thrown into a boiling cauldron). He brought up concerns about being bottlenecked at sea, not unlike Prince Takumi (an especially grave concern, since Leo had been at that invasion, protecting Nohr), but those fears were allayed by reminding him of the size and force of Nohr's army: no matter what defenses the Hoshidans put in place, an army that encompassed the entire area of the city they were invading couldn't hope to stop them. A diversionary force was also sent to engage the Hoshidans in the west, so as not to rouse suspicion before they made landfall. Strong forces had also been left to guard Castle Krakenburg, including—to Liam's shock—several members of a tribe of beast-men once thought extinct. Chieftain Keaton of the Wolfskin had apparently pledged his loyalty to King Xander a little over a decade ago, and the numbers of his tribe had finally started to recover. Warriors of the Ice Tribe would patrol major corollaries between Windmire and the minor cities throughout Nohr. Chevois knights on their lithe steeds had been tasked with guarding Nohr's protectorates. They were led by a rough-looking woman named Scarlet.

So now, Liam stood. He leaned over the railing, listening to the indistinct sound of soldiers chatting mixed with water slapping the hull of the boat and wondered what in the hell he was going to spend all of this time doing.

"Heya, little guy!" He heard, and suddenly, he felt a rough glove dig into his hair and shake it all around. He growled in protest at his sister. "Whatcha lookin' at?" the redheaded woman asked, trying to level her gaze with his.

"Nothing," he said in a low voice, batting her hand out of his hair.

"Hmm," Soleil murmured, scanning the water, "Yup, that's a whole lot of nothing."

Liam was silent.

"So, listen," she continued, "I wanted to introduce you to a couple of the Nohrian royals, since you've never met them before, y'know?"

He glared at her and still said nothing.

"Liam," she chided him in a whisper, "c'mon, lighten up. You're killing me, here."

"Is everything all right?" A soft voice came from behind her.

She spun around and answered, "Oh, yeah, all good! Siegbert, I want you to meet my little brother, Liam. Liam, this is Crown Prince Siegbert."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," the golden-haired man sad, offering his hand.

Liam didn't take it. "Crown prince, huh?" he said, shifting his eyebrows, "You don't look like much."

"Liam!" Soleil shouted, smacking him on the back. He let out a quick "Ouch!"

"It's all right, Soleil," Siegbert said, nodding his head to the blue-haired man, "I'm well aware I have some very big shoes to fill, and a long way to go before I may fill them. I hope I can prove to you as well as to myself that I'm worthy of my title."

"A good start would be to be less soft," Liam said, folding his arms, "I just insulted you. You shoulda let me have it for saying something like that."

"I'm of the belief that we can all learn from each other," the prince said with a bright smile.

"I don't like you," Liam said. "You remind me too much of her," he added, thumbing at his sister.

"Sorry about him," Soleil said, frowning at Siegbert, "Uh, Prince Forrest? Did you want to…?"

"Certainly. I fear no man's rebuke," the redheaded prince said, offering his hand to Liam as his cousin had.

"That's an interesting beret you wear, prince," Liam said, similarly not taking his hand, "Why don't you wear one of the iron crowns of Nohr?"

" _Those_ gaudy things?" the prince scoffed, "Tasteless. Maybe if you're the type who wanders around dank dungeons into the evening, smiling as you tote the headsman's axe, but not at all suitable for any modern man with a sense for aesthetics. Speaking of which, that cap you wear compliments you well."

"Now, see, this one, I like," Liam said, smiling at his sister. He took the prince's hand and shook it. "I have to ask, though: the rest of that stuff you're wearing… is that your usual outfit?"

"It is," Forrest said, "It's how I've chosen to present myself as a prince of Nohr. I've endured much ridicule for it, but—"

"No need to say more," Liam said, his eyes narrowing, "I can read it all on your face. You've got eyes like mine—the eyes of a guy who's had to fight to live the life he wants. They're eyes that say, 'Come get me, you dastard!'"

"I'm not sure I'd put it in those terms—"

"You don't have to. I just did. You're Leo's son, isn't that right?"

"Yes."

"My mother and father knew your mother very well. Do me a favor and ask her about _Make Him Fall for You in a Fortnight_ for me, will you?"

"Um, very well."

"Moving right along," Soleil said, patting the confused Forrest on the shoulder, "The purple-haired girl here is Sophie."

Liam nodded. "We met briefly when her mother dragged me to the castle. Not what I consider a pleasant memory."

Soleil rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Liam, do you have to be such a grouch?"

"Mom _has_ always been pretty assertive," Sophie said, "but that's because she knows to expect no less than exactly what she wants. You don't say 'no' to my mom, but it seems like you have a problem with her. Should I relay that message?"

"Ack!" Liam started, "You're giving me that same look… Listen, I didn't mean anything by it. I talk a lot of nonsense, so just forget I said anything."

Sophie laughed and backed off. Soleil turned back around to say, "And I was going to present Nohr's youngest princess, Ophelia, but she seems to be hiding from me. Not sure why."

"That's fine, this has all been riveting," Liam tried to excuse himself.

"Will you three help me find her?" Soleil asked the Nohrian royals. They agreed before Liam could blurt out that it was unnecessary.

Now he was back to being alone, hearing the waves slap against the wood. He rested his elbow on the railing and his head in his palm and went back to looking at nothing in particular. It wasn't more than a minute or two before he heard footsteps behind him. He looked in the direction of the sound and found Kana leaning over the railing beside him. "Not much to look at, but the ocean sure calms me down," she said.

"Yeah," he sighed, "You know what calms me down? Being alone."

"You… like being alone?" Kana said, cocking an eyebrow at the blue-haired youth.

"Yeah. Other people get in the way. They ruin things, complicate them. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so it's always annoying when you're trying to get from one point to another and there are a bunch of people obstructing you. Makes it so much more difficult to figure out what's going to happen."

"I guess that makes sense," Kana said, not entirely sure if she was telling the truth, "I think it's easy for you to say that though, because you've always had people willing to be close to you if you wanted to let them in. Your mom and dad have been around your whole life."

He scowled at her. "I'm not asking for your opinion, girly. My dad's always busy with some errand or chatting up some girl, and I hardly got to see my mom in between the weeks and months she spent working for your folks, so what do _you_ know, huh?"

Kana's face was neutral. "I… didn't realize that. I'm sorry, but I was separated from them for years. I only just got to meet my papa before he was… erm…."

The blue-haired boy sighed. "Now, come on, no crying," he told her, "that's not fair."

"I don't mean to… it just happens whenever I think about it. I felt lonely for all those years, and then, I finally had a glimpse of happiness, and…" She trailed off, wiping her gray eyes and lining them back up with the ocean.

Liam shrugged. "I'm sorry. About what happened to your dad, I mean. Nobody deserves that."

"Thank you." She turned to face him and gave him a weak smile.

He stared at her interestedly, noticing something, and folded his arms.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Your eyes," he replied, pointing at them, "They don't look the same as before. Maybe I just didn't notice it until now, but they're not quite like I thought they were. You're a noble, but those eyes don't scream 'charmed life' like others' do."

"You can tell that just by looking at my eyes?"

"Every detail on a person's face tells a story, if you look hard enough."

Kana didn't say anything, but nodded in response, assuming he knew what he was talking about by the way he had so confidently asserted it. Personally, she didn't quite know what to make of him.

He gave her a smirk. "See, the look you're giving me right now tells me you don't know what to make of me. That's okay, I'm still figuring you out, too."

"Okay," she said, not really sure how to respond, "So… do you want to keep looking at the ocean together? You know, just… in silence?"

"That'd be good," he said, and turned back over the railing.

[…]

"I'm sorry to have startled you," Azura said.

"No, it's all right. You were always light on your feet, and you always looked a little spectral with that white dress and that long hair," Ryoma told her.

"I came when I heard the news. Hoshido seems to be in dire straits."

"You don't know the half of it. So… how much did you hear, exactly?"

"I know what happened to Corrin, too."

He bowed his head. "I thought so. For what it's worth, Azura, I didn't want it to happen. He made me angry, but I never would have… anyway, I know it provides little consolation."

She was silent.

"So, what brings you here? Do you mean to exact revenge? If so, I can tell you you're exacting it on the wrong person, but I won't stop you. Maybe I could finally find some relief…"

"I don't intend to kill you, Ryoma. I'm here at Shigure's request, to show you something important. But what were you saying? Something about 'relief?'"

His eyes were dark and narrow as they struck hers. "I have been king of Hoshido for some time now, Azura. Almost as long as my father. Losing my brother to Nohr and my sister to the heavens has been difficult, as I'm sure you can imagine, and the daily pleas for help from my people have only enhanced the effects of those events. I fear that in some way… maybe I'm not entirely opposed to Takumi taking the throne. I suspect many Hoshidans feel the same."

"I believe I understand. But surely you can see that more war isn't the right answer."

"I'm not convinced there is a 'right' answer anymore. I tried to do what I thought was 'right' all those years ago, but Corrin disagreed, and, evidently, so did you. My decisions led to my sister's death, and the deaths of countless Hoshidan soldiers. No matter what choice any one person makes, it will always lead to suffering, it's just a matter of how long it's delayed."

"Ryoma… it pains me to see you so defeated. If you truly have no attachment left to what happens here in Hoshido, you should come with me. You may find that you aren't quite so helpless."

"I fear that under Takumi's surveillance, leaving Hoshido is quite impossible for me."

"I'd thought about that, and I came up with a solution that I believe will work. However, you need to understand that once this plan has begun, there can be no going back. If you find there's no reason left for you to stay in Hoshido, then this will get you out. If you have any desire to remain, however…"

She trailed off and handed him a piece of paper with fresh ink still coating it. He read the words carefully, eyebrows shifting, and finally placed the paper on the floor and nodded solemnly at Azura. "My only concern is for Shiro and Kagero," said the samurai, "but… I suppose I won't really be leaving them. If only I could take them with me…"

"It's my hope that even Takumi wouldn't be so callous as to do them harm, but if you have reservations, I can let you stay. This was Shigure's plan, after all, not mine."

"Shigure… he's a good lad, Azura. Strong and wise, and completely respectful of his duties. You should be proud, Azura. You and Corrin both would be very proud to see what he's done. Also… he's an artist. Likes to paint, you know. Maybe… maybe I can trust him to take care of my family."

"The decision rests with you, Ryoma."

"I will… do what I must," he said, looking at the door to his chamber and not Azura.

[…]

Dozens of boots were rushing toward the chamber of the former king. A grunt had signaled distress, but it became apparent that something was gravely wrong when it was discovered that the guard posted in front of Ryoma's door had been rendered unconscious. A group bearing a hammer smashed the metal lock off the door (the broken halves of the key lay beside the guard's unconscious head) and rushed inside. They slowed to a halt and stared with disbelief at what they were seeing: the former king's body lay flat on his back, a short katana jabbed into his stomach and a scrap of paper by his side. One of the guardsmen reached down and gingerly retrieved the paper. Reading it, he found it was addressed to Prince Takumi, and it made only three requests: 1) He pleaded for the safety of Kagero and Shiro, regardless of what path Takumi pursued, 2) His sacred blade, Raijinto, was to be passed on to Shiro, as per tradition, and 3) In lieu of burial, he was to be set adrift in the lake near the castle, so that the water may give him the tranquility he desired, free from spirits that might torment him.

Takumi was called into the room first to examine the notice, as well as the body. He bent down to touch his brother's neck and was surprised to find that his body did not shift at all, showing no signs of breath.

Shiro and Sakura waited outside the former king's chamber with bated breath, and were both given the devastating news. Shiro stayed silent and looked at the floor while Sakura wept openly and collapsed to her knees. Kagero was locked in a separate room, but she, too, would shed a few tears of despair when informed of her husband's choice. When Takumi left the room, taking with him the small collection of personal guards, Sakura begged him for a chance to mourn for their brother away from the prying eyes of the castle's guards. Takumi, already a bit thrown off by the events, decided there could be no harm and returned to the throne room so that he could figure out how this would affect him, both internally and externally. News gradually made its way throughout the rest of the castle, and the royal children were appropriately shocked.

Sakura, with help from Shigure, Kiragi, Shiro, and Asugi, carried the former king's body out into the waters of the lake for a small family funeral the following day. She led a brief purification ceremony, blessing the waters of the lake, and then decided that she was too aggrieved to continue, returning to the castle for the remainder of the day. The children turned their backs and said their goodbyes as King Ryoma of Hoshido sank into the depths of the lake.


	40. Bellicose Proclivity

"I still can't quite believe what I'm seeing," Ryoma said frankly, turning his head this way and that to look at the strange floating islands and the ocean of clouds that seemed to be encompassing them.

"It has that effect on many people, Corrin included," Azura replied, "even I didn't know everything until Lady Mikoto filled me in on some of the details."

"So, all this time, when you would seemingly disappear around that lake…"

"Yes, I came here. As dangerous as it's become, it's always been a comforting place to me. It's like returning to one's bed after traveling for several weeks."

"So… what next?"

"First, come with me, there's a storehouse with some medicine that we can use to close up the rest of your wounds."

"Right." The samurai massaged his stomach and winced. The bloody gash he had placed there had thankfully been healed quickly by Sakura. He found it strange that Takumi hadn't been interested in any of the funeral proceedings or the embalming process, but he was thankful that Sakura had been clever enough to figure out his deception and go along with it with very little communication on his part, save a few hand gestures and the letter Azura had prepared. Speaking of Azura, Ryoma had always been curious about her, but now she was seeming more mysterious than ever. "Azura," he said, "why did you never tell us about this? This place, I mean—whatever it's called—why didn't you say anything about it?"

"Valla is its name," she answered, "and it holds a special power: no one may speak its name beyond its borders. Should anyone refer to it beyond these lands, they will disappear in a torrent of bubbles like a watery mirage. It's the result of an ancient and powerful magic created to protect this land, created by its ruler, the Silent Dragon Anankos."

"Did you say… a dragon rules here?"

"That's right. That's why it has become so dangerous, and why it's very important that the conflict between Nohr and Hoshido not escalate."

"I'm confused: what do Nohr and Hoshido have to do with this place?"

"In order to explain that, I'll have to tell you about some of Valla's history. Please, listen carefully." They continued to walk as Azura retold the story she'd used to help Corrin understand her plight. The air and the entire world around them seemed uncomfortably still all the while, almost stagnant, in that way. When Azura's explanation neared its end, they were at the storehouse she had mentioned, and she led Ryoma inside and had him sit down so that she could collect a few vulneraries and bandages. When she finished tending to his wounds, the both sat back and took deep breaths.

"I'm sorry if I haven't said much," the samurai told her, "but this is quite overwhelming. To learn that dragons really were a part of so much… I was never a particularly religious man, but the icon of the Dawn Dragon will never look the same to me again."

"Speaking of which, is there any event that you may now interpret differently, knowing all this?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Do you remember what happened shortly before Corrin left Hoshido for good?"

"There was… ah! That mysterious figure, in that robe, he was present when our mother was assassinated. Wait… are you saying that man was an agent of Anankos?"

"That's my strong suspicion. Based on what Corrin told me, King Garon, who we now know was possessed by Anankos, told him to bring that strange sword with him when he traveled to the border, as if he knew he'd eventually end up in Hoshido near Lady Mikoto. The assassination was planned, just not by Nohr."

"But… what would Anankos stand to gain from inciting a war between our nations?"

"I can't claim to understand all of Anankos's thinking, but he's gone mad, and it may be that he's seeking revenge on the humans who caused all of his woes and left him to be abandoned in this place."

"Didn't he seal himself here?"

"He's not thinking rationally anymore, Ryoma. He feels pain and he desires retribution."

"I suppose. Still, something seems strange about it all… Wait a moment, I just realized something: when Corrin came to Hoshido with Kana not long ago, he spoke to Takumi and mentioned a greater threat, one that was beyond Hoshido and Nohr. Was he talking about Anankos too?"

Azura nodded. "He was. You didn't know, but Corrin and I lived here in Valla for many years, raising Kana and Shigure. It was only when we had a scare with Anankos that we decided the children would be safer elsewhere."

"I see, so that's why you brought Shigure to me. Everything's starting to become clearer now." Ryoma paused, and then his head sank. "What a shame. What a damnable shame. All this time we spent fighting each other, Nohr, Hoshido, and Corrin caught in between… If only I'd had some inclination, maybe things wouldn't have needed to turn out the way they did. Hinoka and Corrin could both have lived. It's my fault for not seeing it sooner."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Ryoma. You couldn't possibly have known, and Corrin didn't know either. In fact, I had considerable doubts about him when he decided to join the Nohrians—I thought he was placing blind loyalty before rational thought, but I was surprised to find that he had aspirations even bigger than I could have believed. He didn't want war with Hoshido at all, he just wanted to protect those close to him, and, even if he did so inadvertently, he delayed Anankos's ability to attack this world by years."

"And here I effectively spent all my time trying to stop him."

"No, you wanted safety for your home, just as he did, but your methods were contradictory. You wanted to keep Hoshido safe, but you thought little for Nohr, in the same way that the Nohrians were prepared to execute every Hoshidan to sate King Garon's desires. Only Corrin realized that there could be a space in between, where Nohr recovered its senses and Hoshido acknowledged their ignorance. Nohr could be rebuilt without overextending its reach—neither feast nor famine. That alone is proof that he bore Vallite blood, as that was always Valla's purpose: to prevent the people of Nohr and Hoshido from overwhelming one another, to maintain balance."

"Tell me, Azura: what can we do?"

"Truly? Our only hope is to find some way to unite the royalty of Nohr and Hoshido. Without the power of the Omega Yato, and with a war drawing near. We are hopeless otherwise."

"Unite the royalty? But that's impossible. It is now, anyway—Nohr will never forgive Takumi's actions."

"You may be right. For now, however, I will place my faith in my children. They're the only ones I'm able to believe in now, so I'll support them in any way I can. I have taken you out of Hoshido, Ryoma, but the actions you take from here on are your own. I have shown you the truth, but only you may decide what to do with it."

"I understand. Nohr won't want me, living or dead, but perhaps there's something I can yet do to aid Shiro and Shigure…"

[…]

The landing had gone smoothly, and the Nohrians disembarked largely without incident. The port town of Kaigancho had almost no defenses in place due to its extreme distance from the Hoshidan capital of Shirasagi, and, of course, what little defenses there were could not be swiftly mounted, for the town's citizenry had no idea that the bulk of the army of Nohr would be descending upon them. The soldiers struck quite a figure when their boots hit the ground of the quiet town, and many quickly fled the streets in fear of glittering onyx-and-gold-armor-clad battalions that filed out of the ships. King Xander stayed to the back of the group at the request of his wife and siblings, fearing the efforts of foolhardy assassins, and so Siegbert was sent in his place to deliver the message that the Nohrian army bore the people of the town no ill will and would not harm them so long as they did not threaten the soldiers. Those who listened to the announcement respected the request.

Fortunately for the town of Kaigancho, none of its citizens' blood was spilled in the Nohrian invasion as the army began to set up provisional defenses just beyond the town's limits, preparing routes to retreat if the enemy attempted to overwhelm them.

Once most of the preparations had been made, Elise, Xander, Leo, Camilla, and Morgan all placed themselves at different points along the front to prepare for Hoshido's inevitable retaliation, and they sent their children to join other dispensations of soldiers who kept watch over the town. Of course, this also afforded the children the opportunity to explore the town. Ophelia and Kana were distracted entirely from their duties by playing games with the local children (to their parents' initial horror) and even Liam had been sidetracked by a local fisherman's demonstration of stir frying foods.

The sun was beginning to lower in the peach-and-rose sky when, considerably less fortunately, the children were all called in from their posts to prepare for battle: their approach had been observed by Hoshidan intelligence along the southern seaboard, and a force had been assembled to repel them, although this force was likely not prepared to engage so many of Nohr's most powerful soldiers.

It wasn't long before the Nohrians learned the identity of this group's leader: Saizo a ninja with a fierce reputation and a prince of Hoshido by marriage. His son, Asugi, stood beside him in preparation for battle, but his wife, Princess Sakura, was absent.

The redheaded ninja came within shouting distance of the Nohrian line to give a proclamation. "Soldiers of Nohr," he declared, "your king has brought you here, amassing troops on Hoshidan soil, breaking the provisions of our treaty. By order of the king of Hoshido, you are to lay down your arms and allow yourselves to be taken to Shirasagi as prisoners, or, otherwise, face death."

"Your Prince Takumi was the one to violate our terms," Xander replied, "when he murdered my brother in cold blood. As the king of Nohr, my answer is that we have no intention of lowering our weapons. You Hoshidans have two choices: you may remove yourselves from our path, or remain in it and be crushed."

"So be it," Saizo said, "but you ought to know that idle threats don't frighten me, King Xander. We will strike, and Hoshido will triumph. Your invasion ends here. Hoshidans, to arms!"

That command brought a wave of cheers and shouts charging down onto the Nohrians, and Xander quickly issued his counter-command: knights led by Effie, Benny among them, set up at the front of the Nohrian ranks and deflected initial surges of samurai and spear fighters. Leo and Elise rode around the lines and began casting their magic down into the mass that had formed in front of them, and they were swiftly joined by Odin and Niles, who had perched themselves on rooftops in the town to maximize their safety and effectiveness.

Kana was waiting in the deeper ranks of the army, clutching her sword tightly and looking to each side, waiting for some development. She noticed Liam standing beside her and asked, "Why do you not have your weapon ready?"

"What part of 'I can't fight' didn't you get?" he asked.

"But you're still here, among a bunch of heavily-armed soldiers."

"Well, yeah. My job's to protect you, right? Can't very well do that from the other side of town, can I? I'm not much good with a blade, but I can certainly tell you how to swing yours to stay out of trouble, so that's my plan."

"I think I'd rather you had a sword anyway," she said, turning back to the action.

The Hoshidans had begun attempting to surge past the wall of knights and flank the Nohrians by wrapping around, but these efforts were also swiftly addressed by Camilla and Silas alternating sides of the battle and knocking enemies down as quickly as they could sneak out. They were slowly becoming fatigued, however, and the enemy's number wrapping around the sides had begun to increase. The knights were also slowly being toppled by support from ninja among the Hoshidan ranks as axe-wielding Hoshidans came to the front of their lines. Pegasus knights had also appeared in small numbers to try to strike at the heart of the Nohrian ranks, but most of these were quickly dispatched by Niles and the other archers in the group.

As the front line broke down, Xander took the lead and urged Siegbert to follow him while Forrest covered their approach—they led a line of Nohrian swordsmen forward to break the siege of ninja—Ophelia and Nina, Niles's daughter, had also joined their fathers to increase their coverage, and Sophie was backing up her fatigued mother and father alongside Beruka. Selena, Laslow, Soleil, Kana, and, consequently, Liam were all in the group led toward the Hoshidans by Xander.

In retaliation, samurai and spear fighters that had been held back, as well as snipers waiting for their enemy to close the distance appeared to wear down the attacking Nohrians in addition to the omnipresent strikes of the ninja.

As this exchange went on, Kana struggled to keep up, forced to repeatedly dodge arrows and shuriken. She quickly found herself separated from the advance and cornered as a result. She panted, watching samurai and spear fighters close in on her, and Liam copied her assessment of the enemy with a grimace. "There's too many!" she shouted in panic, "What do I do?"

"Okay, listen close," Liam said, "and try not to panic. I'm going to tell you how we're getting out of this, okay?"

"O-Okay."

"The samurai will reach you more quickly than the spear-wielders. Focus on them first, you hear?"

"On it." She faced front and blocked an incoming swing from one such samurai, reversing the force and overtaking him, although another quickly replaced him. She attacked this foe, too.

"Princess, turn your body to the left now!"

She did so and watched in shock as a shuriken slipped by her head and embedded itself in the samurai's eye. He fell over screaming. New enemies were appearing and brandishing their naginata at her, however. She faced them and dug her feet in.

"Bad move, princess! You're at a disadvantage there!"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Get out of the way!"

"And go where?!"

"Toward the ninja!"

"Are you crazy?!"

"Do it!"

Finding no better options, she reluctantly bowed her head and ran toward the group of ninja who were poised to toss more shuriken at her.

"When I give the word, hit the deck!"

She nodded.

He ran alongside her and watched the shuriken glint in the evening sun. He narrowed his eyes, watching the fingers tense around them and finally shouted, "Duck!"

Kana did so, diving flat onto the ground straight away. To her surprise, the ninja repeated their mistake and flung the shuriken directly into their comrades. Of course, their timing had been so precise, Kana could feel the breeze of the weapons push against her hair as she fell, so perhaps it hadn't been so foolish after all.

The spear fighters weren't dead, however, and continued to approach them as they stood again. "They're still coming!" Kana shouted, "Any other plans?"

"I've always got another plan," Liam replied, "This time, I want you to stand absolutely still."

"You're kidding."

"I never kid when it's this important. Don't move a muscle."

"But—"

"Have I steered you wrong yet?"

"No, but—"

"Kana. Trust me. As your retainer."

She took a deep breath and did as she commanded. The spear-fighters, still recovering from their wounds, this time moved a bit more slowly as they approached. "We're not falling for that same dumb trick again!" one of them shouted, "You can just stand there and get skewered in the back by our ninja if you want!"

"Liam…"

"Give it a second."

"They're right here."

He counted down on his fingers: "Four… three… two… one… sayonara, fellas."

They looked at him curiously, as did Kana, until arrows' shadows darkened overhead and speared two of them in the head. Another stared straight at them, seeing his comrades fall. "That one's yours," Liam said, pointing at him. Kana ran at him and quickly dispatched the remaining enemy. "And that's how you turn an advantage into a disadvantage," the blue-haired youth said, "Now, that just leaves one last area of concern…" He quickly hopped back as a shuriken sailed past him. "These guys are quick, but they're soft," he said, concentrating on the ninja, "they won't want you to get in close, and those weapons of theirs make it awfully close to even try, so here's the plan: follow behind me and do exactly as I do."

"Behind you? But you'll be in danger, and you don't have a weapon."

"My job will be to get you in close. Don't worry, I'm no good with a sword, but I've been dodging attacks all my life."

She jogged behind him, watching his movements carefully and pivoting her body in ways she would have never conceived to bend out of the way of a multitude of shuriken. Even his reflexes weren't perfect as they drew close, however: several of the weapons started to graze his sides as he had less and less time to react. When he was face to face with the ninja, he kicked the one closest to him in the shin and ran past them, shouting back: "This is where you come in, princess!"

Kana followed through and cut one of the ninja down immediately, then another, and then a third. Two more remained, one seconds away from throwing his shuriken and the other still recovering from having his shin. Liam, seeing the situation, did his best to tackle the able ninja, giving Kana an opening to take down the other. The blue-haired man was rather quickly thrown off by his opponent, but Kana had been given more than enough time and also did away with this foe before he could get up.

Toward the center of the battlefield, Xander regrouped with Siegbert, seeing that the Hoshidan lines were beginning to break around them. If the momentum kept up, their enemies would be defeated shortly, but something stuck out as strange: where was their leader? When he had doubled back, Saizo seemed to simply disappear among his troops, but even as the Nohrians began to cut their way toward the inside of the advancing Hoshidan force, he was nowhere to be found. Xander was unsettled: Saizo might not be much of a commander, but as a ninja, he was skilled at stealth and assassination. Was he laying some kind of trap?

The king got his answer when a shuriken flew inches past his face. He growled and spurred his horse in the direction from which the weapon had originated, Siegbert following close behind him. As they broken into the Hoshidan ranks, they realized the ninja that had thrown the weapon was not Saizo, but a rose-haired boy with green eyes.

"Dawn Dragon dammit," the young man said upon seeing them, "S-Someone, gimme cover, quick!"

A few Hoshidans tried to protect him, but Xander cut through them before they could prove any substantial obstacle. "I recognize him!" Siegbert shouted as they got closer, "Father, that's Prince Asugi, Prince Saizo and Princess Sakura's son!"

"Is that so?" Xander sized up the young man. "All right, then. I'll keep you covered: round him up and bring him back behind our lines. Taking Hoshidan royalty prisoner may give us some leverage.

"As you command, father." Siegbert approached the ninja, apologized and, quite suddenly, struck him with the butt of his lance. He hopped off his steed and pulled a length of rope out of one of its saddlebags and began tying the prince's arms behind his back.

Xander swatted away another attacker and tried to concentrate: where else would Saizo have gone? Would he try to ambush them behind their own lines?

As it turned out, he wouldn't.

Kana and Liam both stood with their backs to a wall—it belonged to a shop that had been vacant when they had patrolled earlier. They were still separated from the Nohrian ranks, but now much closer to safe territory. All they needed to do from that point was quickly run over and duck back into the group and they would be protected again.

But fate had other plans. Liam heard a rustling nearby and shouted, "Kana, toward me!"

Having learned to trust his advice, she leapt toward him without a word and spun her head around in time to see an arm withdrawing from around the corner. She missed the fact that Liam had flung himself to the ground.

"All right, come on out!" Liam shouted, dusting himself off as he got up.

From out of the shadows stepped the visage of Saizo, his single eye razor sharp as it cut both of them. "You're perceptive, boy," said the ninja.

"It's my thing," Liam replied, "Now, back away slowly, or this girl will do _her_ thing."

"I don't think so." Saizo leapt forward and grabbed Kana's arm before she could get away, and then the ninja placed her in a headlock as she struggled. "She's coming back with me," said the redheaded ninja.

"N-No, you can't!"

"You're not going to stop me. Don't worry, I don't plan on killing her, maybe just cutting her a bit for effect."

Kana's eyes narrowed.

"Threatening a little girl like that?" Liam growled, "Guys like you are the lowest of the low!"

"Don't take that tone with me," Saizo rebuffed him, "I saw what happened out there—you're just a little coward and sits back to watch others do your work for you. You're the pinnacle of Nohrian attitudes: pretending like you're strong and important when you just make others suffer for your benefit. You know damn well that the truth is you wouldn't dare stand against me, so why don't you do me a favor and keep your mouth shut until you flee back behind your lines like the craven you are and whine to your superiors that this little princess is in trouble?"

Liam shut his eyes and clenched his fist. Saizo took that as his cue to begin falling back, but he was halted when Liam shouted at him: "Where do you think you're going?"

"Didn't you hear me? Do as I said, coward."

Liam began taking steps toward the enemy. "Listen: my name's Liam. You don't know me, but I know you: you're Prince Saizo—a prince only by marriage. You were a hotheaded ninja in service to Ryoma when he was still just a prince and it gave you a big head. Me, I'm the son of a great strategist, grandson of an even greater one, by my mother's description, and my paternal grandfather was a king—my dad's also pretty tough in his own right. I don't go throwing around titles and authority like they're some kind of badge of honor that make me better than everyone else, though, because the truth is that I'm just a lazy jerk. But guys like you? Guys who pretend they're hot stuff because they've got a title and can victimize the weak? You make me sick. And as much of a lazy jerk as I am, there's nothing I love more than getting to tell arrogant bastards like you 'no.'"

Saizo bared his teeth, almost losing his grip on the girl. He couldn't believe that some lousy, scrawny kid like this would even consider speaking to him like that.

Liam pointed at him. "I see that look in your eyes: right now you're thinking something like 'I can't believe some lousy, scrawny kid like that would even consider speaking to me like that,' right?"

"I'm going to break every bone in your body," the ninja said.

"You can try," Liam replied.

Saizo tossed Kana to the ground and came running at the blue-haired youth, but he stayed still as the ninja approached. Saizo looked down and stopped suddenly, seeing several shuriken poking up out of the ground. "Pretty clever, kid," he said, sidestepping them, "I wondered why you fell when you told the girl to dodge. Unfortunately, such pedestrian tricks won't work on a ninja of my caliber."

"Damn, you got me," Liam cursed, clenching his fists, "there's nothing else I can do with my back against the wall like this."

"I appreciate your craftiness, so I promise I'll only make you suffer a little," Saizo said, drawing in close as Liam backed up into the wall behind him. "Do me a favor, don't dodge this—it'll only make me hurt you worse."

"No, you win," Liam said, resigning himself. He watched Saizo's fist rush up from his side to meet him and leaned his head at the last second, letting the ninja strike the stone behind him.

Saizo growled, withdrawing his hand, "Now, what did I _just_ tell you? Next one is going to be a blade going into your neck."

"There's not going to be a 'next one,'" Liam said with a smirk.

"Right," Saizo scoffed, "Your being mouthy was endearing at first, but now it's getting on my nerves." Before he could move again, however, he felt a weight strike him in the chest and then land squarely on his foot, causing him to shout and fall over. He looked down dizzily and saw a fragment of stone in the grass beside his foot.

"I don't know if you were blinded by anger or your lack of depth perception." Liam stood over him. "All you had to do was look up to see that the masonry on this building is terrible—that chunk of the wall was going to fall any day now. It's a shame you chose to hasten the process just then."

Saizo grasped at the ground to try to pull himself up, but he suddenly felt another weight, this time on his arm. He looked up and saw Kana frowning at him, her foot hold his arm down. He other foot quickly did the same to his other arm. "That wasn't very princely of you, Saizo," she said, cracking her knuckles.

Liam laughed. "Now _that's_ more like it! I leave the rest to you, princess. I mean, er, my lady."

With all of their leadership subdued, their forces near the Nohrian lines being routed, and the charge led by Xander making short work of their remaining lines, the Hoshidan force quickly disintegrated. Those who remained alive began to drop their weapons and surrender as Saizo and Asugi were taken prisoner.

Nohr had won the first battle in Hoshido.


	41. Noblesse Oblige

Ryoma didn't really have any idea what he was looking for. There was a mysterious magnetism that seemed to be present in all of Valla and, gradually, he felt himself drifting across the long, open plains, fascinated by the wealth of abandoned homes. He walked through what seemed to once be small peasant villages and peered in through cracks in the ruined homes to see the same vacant, dark interior. No matter how many times he repeated the process, the sight never ceased to bring a chill up the samurai's spine: none of the homes seemed to be ransacked or damaged, they were simply deserted, with items left scattered about as if the life had suddenly been sucked out of the building. That a single entity could be responsible for all of this was terrifying. That the same entity would be able to do the same to his homeland was utterly unthinkable. Seeing this, it seemed naïve to assume that humans could really do away with such a force—sure, he could support his wife and son, he could push them to end the war, but would that really amount to anything? Takumi had already created such a stir, and he didn't seem likely to back down, and the Nohrians would doubtless respond with force before long, so was there really anything he could do to halt the designs of this dragon—this force of nature?

Hearing footsteps nearby brought his thoughts back to the physical world. He listened carefully to the approaching noise and decided it was too heavy to belong to Azura—after all, she had mentioned a plan to return to Hoshido and find Shigure so that he could become a greater asset to their efforts. As he listened more carefully, he realized that it was not one set of footsteps but three. This spelled danger, but having given up his Raijinto to Shiro after his "death," the samurai was no longer avowed of a weapon. All he could do was sit and wait in the shadow the building to see if the threat would pass him by.

"There's no use hiding. We sense your presence, Ryoma," he heard, "come on out."

There was something impossibly familiar about this voice. Ryoma couldn't quite understand why the voice unsettled him, but since hiding was clearly not going to be effective against this danger, and it had the capacity to speak to him, at least, he decided he would comply with its orders. He came out from behind the building and was stopped in his tracks by what he saw.

There stood his father, Sumeragi, beside Lady Mikoto and, between them, Corrin. The samurai rubbed his eyes on first seeing them, not only because the sight was so unbelievable, but also because they had an iridescent quality—they seemed to glimmer when he looked at them.

"There's my boy," Sumeragi said, giving Ryoma a proud paternal smile, "You did very well in your time as king, son. Even got yourself a wife and a boy of your own—I can't tell you how happy that makes me."

Ryoma tried to say something, but only stuttered.

"It's all right, Ryoma," Mikoto told him, "be at peace. You've found salvation at last. Our whole family can be together again, now that we're all here."

Again, words failed him.

Corrin extended his hand. "Brother, I'm so sorry that we had to fight. I've since realized the error of my ways, and I think you will soon, too. Won't you join us? I'd very much like to speak to you again, now that we're free of kingdoms and armies."

"What is this?" Ryoma finally managed to ask, "You're dead. All of you are dead. Father, I saw your body when it was buried; Mother, Corrin, I watched you both as you fell."

"We may be dead to the world of mortals, but we are given everlasting life through Lord Anankos," Mikoto said, "And in a deathless world, the strife of nations like Nohr and Hoshido seems so utterly trite. Wouldn't you like for it to be that way, Ryoma? Wouldn't you like to live in a peaceful paradise with your family?"

"True power and self-command are not attainable in the domain of men, Ryoma," said his father, "Only when you become one with the power of the dragons will you understand."

"You've felt that power before, haven't you? It was imbued in your Raijinto," Corrin added, "if you embrace Anankos as we have, you will feel that power a thousand-fold. Like us, you have within you the blood of the ancient dragons, Ryoma. You are destined to be above those fools who scurry and squabble on the surface of this world, killing each other over petty nonsense. Valla is the land of the divine, and those who are worthy have their spirits honored here forever. Wouldn't you like that, Ryoma? Wouldn't you like to join us in eternity?"

"Don't you feel worn down by the world, my son?" Sumeragi asked, drawing closer, "All its trivialities, all the back-and-forth, isn't it so exhausting? Wouldn't it be nice to simply let it all slip away?"

"You fled from Hoshido because that's what you wanted, isn't it?" Mikoto said, "You were sick of fighting those you loved. Your poor heart couldn't bear the pain anymore, and you wanted to give it over to the hands of fate. You begged to let that cup pass from you." She, too, had begun to approach him.

Corrin was also drawing closer, and they were making a triangle around him, Sumeragi and Mikoto listing off into his periphery while Corrin stared him straight in the eyes. "You can join us, Ryoma," he said, "you can be with your family and relax, letting the hands of fate guide you. You won't have to experience the pain of choice any longer—all will be in the hands of Lord Anankos, as it is meant to be."

"It's true," Ryoma said, hanging his head, "my life has not turned out at all the way I had hoped. To have my mother and father stripped away from me so violently was already a dreadful fate, and to watch my brother betray me, to find my sister slain, to see my throne usurped… all of it has made me so very tired. Kagero worried for my health every night, and I was grossly unkind to her, all because I couldn't bear the thought of watching another of my choices bring pain to myself or others."

"It breaks my heart to see you this way, brother," he heard another voice. He lifted his head long enough to see that Hinoka had joined the gathering.

"H-Hinoka?" he sputtered.

"Please, spare yourself and others this pain," the former princess of Hoshido insisted, "join us in serving Anankos, brother. We've all missed you terribly."

"As I have missed you," he replied. The group slowly closed in on him. "But," he stopped them, "I'm afraid I cannot join you."

"What's that?" Sumeragi started, "And why not?"

"Because you're not real. Your figments of a distorted reality. Shadows of a world and a life that never existed. You're puppets putting on a fictitious show to entice me, and exhausted as I may be, I would never be foolish enough to fall into such a trap."

"Such harsh words, brother," Corrin said, "Why must we continue to fight? Don't you want us to be brothers again?"

"We were never really brothers. The real Corrin knew that. Just as he knew that the Nohrians weren't his brethren, but he supported them regardless. He was always going to support them—I was scared to admit it, but as I saw his responses to mine and Queen Mikoto's explanations, I could tell his thoughts were still with them. In another life, perhaps he did consider us brothers, but, in this one, his choice was made, and there could be no changing that. When we stood opposite one another on that battlefield, I thought our fate had been determined. Our family would be ripped apart, we would be slaughtered by Nohr, and I would die watching my brother revel in taking my blood. But that world, too, never came to be. Corrin returned to Nohr and reformed it from within, and even when I drew my blade against him, vowing vengeance for Hinoka's death, there was not anger or hatred in his eyes. There was pity. How could he, the orphaned child who had embraced his captors, come to pity me? I think that was the first moment I realized it—that fate was not so permanent as I once believed.

"I was carried away from that battle broken and bleeding, but I felt my life renewed. Fate and choice are not so easily distinguishable: they are a set of diverging forces on the same line, pulling away at one another, and, on some occasions, one triumphs over the other. More often, however, one pulls slightly further, and the other redoubles its efforts to straighten their course. The Corrin that I wish I could now call my brother realized that, too: he made his choice and prepared, braced himself for fate to rush up and meet him, and when it was over, he simply pulled the line again."

"This is folly, son," Sumeragi told him, "your pretty words will mean nothing to the people of Hoshido if you go back."

"Those words aren't for the people of Hoshido—they're for me. It's time I stopped resigning myself to fate, paralyzed by fear of the consequences of my choices. It's time for me to start living again."

"Ryoma, we love you, but we cannot allow you to make this mistake," Mikoto said, reaching for him, "We will keep you here until you understand."

"To hell with you!" he cried, slapping her hand away. She gasped and withdrew it.

"How dare you strike your mother, boy!" Sumeragi shouted, "I'd hoped to avoid violence, but such insolence can only be repaid with my Hagakure Blade!"

As Sumeragi was getting into his stance, however, Ryoma leveled a punch at his face that sent him reeling and, while the others stood, shocked, he fled from the village.

Hinoka leaned forward to begin following him, saying, "We should give chase."

She was restrained by Corrin, however. "Lord Anankos tells me there's no need. He's lost the Raijinto, so he poses no threat now. Instead, we should observe: he'll doubtless attempt to influence events in Hoshido, and when he does, we'll know exactly how to strike."

"As our master wills it."

[…]

Okasho was known to be one of the coldest regions in Hoshido, as the long mountain ranges that made up the Bottomless Canyon could be seen on the horizon, and the clouds that frequently dusted them with snow also had a habit of dropping their stockpiles a bit early and coating the small town. It was abandoned by farmers altogether, for the soil was devoid of nutrients and mostly composed of cold, hard clay. Merchants managed to stay in business by rotating their stock between seasons, of which there were only two in Okasho: cold and warm. The "warm" season boasted sunny days and temperatures marginally above freezing. Currently, it was the cold season, and the view was entirely constituted by a white, gray, and brown pallet. The most visually interesting sights were long branches worn black by moisture sticking out of the white snow and small mudslides made by melting patches of snow and ice.

It was the closest to Nohr that Hoshido ever got.

And to Shigure, it felt like he'd been sent to prison, rather than a military outpost on the border of Hoshido, although that was more than likely the intent of his being sent there. He gazed out the window at the snow from the second floor of the building that had been designated as the barracks for the Hoshidan soldiers waiting there—in reality, it was a tea shop that had been abandoned by its proprietor for warmer climates, and between its two floors, it barely had enough room to contain thirty people, let alone have them live together, but such were the group's orders. Takumi had said that this post would make Shigure one of the first responders to any Nohrian aggression that emerged from the west, and he was likely correct, but the purpose of his unit didn't seem to be preventative, as he'd initially assumed: they were ordered to act like an early warning system for the collections of soldiers further east who would actually be handling these invasions. The very town was kept in such a sorry-looking state as to goad invaders into believing that all of the Hoshidan cities in this area were just as poorly equipped, which was not at all the case. If the group was attacked, one of them would be chosen to flee to the next town over and report the news, and then the Hoshidan army would prepare for a real conflict.

Shigure tried to remain positive, assuming that this was just a punitive assignment by his uncle following his father's actions, and that the Nohrians would not be foolish enough to fall into the trap of attacking Hoshido directly through the mountains. He accepted his punishment and tried to make himself useful to the other soldiers present by taking many shifts on cooking duty and purchasing the soldiers food beyond their meager rations, saving many of them from the brink of starvation. In particular, he had given a large portion of this food to a boy named Joji, who was even younger than he and one of the only Okasho natives in the group—Joji had enlisted to pay for medicine for his ailing mother.

Shigure tried, but events seemed to conspire against him. He had woken up a bit earlier than most of the other soldiers that day, so he tried to dismiss what he saw as a trick of the eye at first, but it soon became clear that he was in for a more difficult day than he'd imagined. The black speck he observed in the distance gradually expanded into many specks, and then into the figures of horses and knights in shining armor. Soldiers with sharp blades and long scowls marched in ensembles of black and gold toward Okasho. Shigure quickly went about rousing his comrades and informing them of his observations. They all tried to deny it at first, as he did, but they came to the same realization as he did and they became silent and full of fear. Eventually, their commander (a gray-haired, hard-face naginata wielder) rounded them up on the lower floor of the barracks. Even his eyes were unnaturally strained and set in as he explained: "Gentlemen, as commander, I have verified this to be a Nohrian attack, which means that we will need to prepare for conflict. As part of our duty, we must also select a representative to inform our brethren of the battle to come. I imagine all among you are interested in taking that position, so I'll ask quickly for nominations. You may not nominate yourself, and bear in mind that this decision must be made quickly, so have some dignity about it, or I'll decide for myself."

One had quickly shot up. It was Joji's, and he said, "Commander, I'd like to nominate Shigure. He's been kind to me and many of the men here, and he's of noble birth. He doesn't deserve to… to die here in the cold and mud like the rest of us."

"Joji…" Shigure murmured.

Several more hands shot up and seconded the nomination, agreeing that Shigure's kindness had earned him the opportunity to run from this battle.

"Well," the commander said, eyeing Shigure, "looks like you're in luck, young Lord Shigure. Unless you've any objections, I'll formally grant you the position and recommend that you get moving immediately."

"With all due respect, commander," he replied, "I do have an objection. I don't deserve to run away from this fight, nor do I desire to. I was placed here to fight for Hoshido, and to turn and run now, letting these men I've grown to consider friends die in vain is unthinkable for me."

The commander nodded. "Your valor is acknowledged and appreciated, but we still need someone to inform the other cities. If not you, who would you suggest?"

"I'd like to nominate Joji, sir. And, if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to request an escort for his mother."

"Shigure, no! Don't throw your life away for me! You've still got to meet up with your sister, right?"

"You've got a big life ahead of you, Joji. You should get the chance to go live it. I'll manage here, I promise."

The commander let out a long sigh. "As commander of these forces, it's my prerogative to pass final judgment on decisions of this nature, and so… I can't deny that you would be an incredible asset to our forces from what I've seen of your fighting, Shigure. Joji, you'll go and warn the others. I'll have a horse brought for you and your mother, and then you need to be gone, understand?"

"Yes, commander." The boy sniffled. "Thank you, Shigure."

With that matter settled, the soldiers formed their ranks along the outskirts of the town, the commander just behind them, and watched the black mass of the Nohrian soldiers bear down on them. From behind, they heard a quick succession of hooves that signaled that Joji was now on his way. Shigure took a deep breath and looked at his comrades, many of whom were frozen in fear or quivering at the sight of their enemy.

"I don't think I can do this, Shigure," the man beside him said, "What's the point? If I just desert, they might execute me, but is that really any worse than what's going to happen here? If I get executed, maybe I'll at least get to say goodbye to my family, but this… I don't want to go like this."

"You're thinking on the wrong terms," Shigure told him, "this isn't about us, it's about people like Joji and his mother. We're here to stall for their sake, so that they can all go on. We have to fight to keep as many Hoshidans safe as we can, that's what defending our homeland is all about."

His comrade let out a humored sigh. "I guess it's no surprise you're a noble, Shigure. Your devotion to Hoshido is really outstanding, like the stories about those old samurai who stood against a thousand men to defend their masters."

"I'm glad you think of me in that way," he said, "stay strong, and we'll survive this encounter yet, friend." The white and silver plates of Shigure's armor glinted with small traces of reflected sunlight from the snow below.

When the armies of Nohr approached the line, they did so without mercy: eight cavaliers charged to the front and skewered two samurai who were standing guard. The line threatened to collapse then, but Shigure came forward beside the commander and took a swing at one of the cavaliers, knocking him down and killing him. The commander guarded against two more of the cavaliers, cutting the horses' feet out from beneath them and sending them flying to the ground. A few archers and mages in the back lines opened fire and dispatched the remaining cavaliers with decent accuracy, but by this point, the Nohrians responded with long range weaponry of their own: dark magic and arrows claimed the lives of five more Hoshidans.

Shigure tried to retain his poise as the slower knights began to emerge, forming a wall of lances. The commander was quick to go toe-to-toe with them, dodging their slow strikes and impaling their faces through the small gaps in their armor. He rallied the archers to do the same, and they succeeded in defeating a few more.

After the knights, soldiers armed with blades like Shigure began to rush the Hoshidan front. Unlike the knights, these attackers were quick and agile, and they killed as many as ten Hoshidan soldiers before their line began to break apart. Shigure and the commander fought and detained as many of these troops as they could, taking about five or six each, but more cavaliers had started to emerge from the back of the Nohrian lines, their mages had begun to move up, and wyvern riders were now descending on the battlefield. Just as the Hoshidan archers tried to take aim at the fliers, they were blown away by the Nohrian mages, making the Hoshidan mages easy prey for the same wyvern riders.

Including Shigure and the commander, their now remained only five Hoshidan soldiers left in the city. By the commander's direction, they had begun to fall back among the buildings, hoping tighter spaces would make up for their lack of numbers, but this solution seemed to do little to mitigate the issue: Shigure and the commander heard the cries of their three other comrades as two of them were driven into alleys with no escape and the third was flung out of the sky, ejected from a wyvern's mouth. Shigure grimaced as he watched blood seep from his torso. It had been the same man he'd encouraged less than an hour ago.

"It was nice of you to let that kid go," the commander told Shigure, "it's not easy for men to face their death like that, especially at such a young age."

"I couldn't let him stay here and run away myself. That kind of cowardice is despicable," Shigure said, watching columns of Nohrian soldiers pour down the street toward them.

The commander laughed. "In as short a time as I've known you, Shigure, I'd say you do your noble status justice. If only all Hoshidan nobility were like you, we might live in a different world altogether."

"It was a pleasure serving with you, sir," Shigure said.

The commander nodded and then broke into a sprint toward the Nohrian soldiers. Some of them laughed as he came close, but they stopped when he impaled the chest of a blade-wielding soldier, then stabbed a mage and managed to club an unaware archer before blades surrounded him and pierced him in the back and the chest.

Now they circled around Shigure, and the blue-haired prince prepared to embrace his fate, but he was suddenly reminded of something: he felt a pressure in his pocket and recalled the dragonstone his mother had given him. If his previous words had been true, about his duty being to delay the Nohrians and protect the Hoshidans for as long as possible, then he knew what he needed to do. He let the stone's power wash over him, feeling his heart beat in tandem with the vibrations coming from the stone. At once, he felt a warm light envelop him, and he saw that he towered over the stunned faces of the Nohrians below. He opened his mouth and surprised himself by letting out a roar that pushed a few of the soldiers back, and then he dove at them, wielding his new claws awkwardly, but to lethal effect: groups of four or five soldiers were flung back with bloody gashes in their chests.

"There's a dragon?!" a cry came from the Nohrian army, "What the hell?!"

"We still outnumber it!" came another voice, "overpower it with magic, and then we can finish it off!"

Shigure heard their plan, of course, but was powerless to do anything about it. He tried to beat his wings to move out of the way of the balls of flame and thunder that were thrown at him, but he was continually pelted with arrows that kept him from moving. By instinct, he tried to curl down into a protective ball, but this only led to soldiers climbing over him and stabbing into his flesh. He let out an aggrieved roar and flung them away, raking his claws at the advancing Nohrians to the best of his ability, but he quickly found his energy fading as more and more blades stabbed into him, and he lost his sight in another bright burst of light.

"Where'd he go?!" some of the Nohrian soldiers shouted. They ran through the streets searching for the disappeared dragon, but when it became clear that the search was fruitless, they regrouped. The man leading these soldiers found the trail of horse hooves leading away from the city, suggesting they'd sent a messenger onward, and decided that they needed to keep moving before the enemy could be adequately prepared for their advance.

Soldiers marched through the empty, silent streets, stepping over bodies as they walked. "You kinda have to feel bad for 'em," one soldier said to another as he looked down at the corpses, "I mean, I thought _we_ were on a suicide mission, but look at _this_."

"It's war," the other said, "it's cruel, but it happens. Better them than me, that's all I know."

Shigure's head was bleeding out onto the stone street beneath him, ash and mud covering his face, as a Nohrian boot trod over it.


	42. A Change of Plans

"My lord," the messenger announced himself, kneeling to the floor.

"Up with you," Takumi said, "You've news, haven't you? Get on with it."

"Yessir. Milord should be aware… the Nohrian army has begun to invade. They took a massive armada and struck Kaigancho, overtaking it completely."

"I knew about the landing. I sent Saizo there to respond to it. Can you tell me what happened to him?"

"I don't know of Lord Saizo's fate, Your Highness, but I know that the city and its surrounding areas remain occupied by Nohrians. Insofar as I know, Lord Saizo's detachment was defeated, and the Nohrians will continue their advance."

"Damn. I suppose we'll have to assume that Saizo was killed. Very well, we'll need to prepare for the defense of Shirasagi. That will include reinforcing the Great Wall…"

"Forgive me for interrupting, my lord, but I have other significant findings."

"Oh? Go on, then."

"A crier from Okasho reported that that town was also overrun. Nohrian troops will be advancing from the west into Ishigake soon, even as we speak, perhaps."

"What? From both fronts… I suppose I should've guessed. Well, only one of them can contain the bulk of their might… Since they sent so many ships, since they managed to best Saizo, and since they know attacking from the west would be suicide, I think I can safely conclude that the real threat is to the south. Tell my sister that I'll need her help leading another group to delay the Nohrians' push toward the capital."

"But… would you simply leave the west unguarded, my lord?"

Takumi scowled at him. "When I want your critical insight, I'll ask for it. I was _about_ to say that we should send a smaller group just to make sure the western territory isn't overrun in the meantime. Go tell Ryoma's boy that he'll be leading that crowd. Oh, and since you felt so compelled to speak up about it, why don't you join them?"

"S-Sir?"

"You heard me. Once you deliver the news to both of the people I mentioned, you'll join Shiro and march west. If you don't, I'll have you executed."

"Y-Yes, sir…"

The messenger exited the room with his head hung low. Takumi closed his eyes and shook his head. It was so annoying when they spoke impertinently like that, and they never learned. Lately, everything felt like that—everything and everyone could be _so annoying_. He looked over at the Hoshidan throne, then turned back around and faced the door. He would have to face the Nohrians soon. And he was ready.

[…]

Azura had been staring into the puddle for a long time now. She wasn't sure how long, but it had been a long time, certainly. It was very dull water—it was clear or gray, seated in a divot of brown soil and brown grass. Rain had come through recently, but most of it had dried up. Enough had collected in this puddle, however, that it hadn't vanished yet. Mostly out of boredom, she poked her finger into the water and watched the ripples spread out from the center. The water was cold. Much colder than the outside air. She withdrew her finger and wiped it on her dress, noting with some dismay that the white fabric had become increasingly worn and dirtied by a myriad of misadventures, not the least of which had been rapidly scaling and descending the walls of Castle Shirasagi to reach Shigure's room.

She wondered what had become of Shigure. Would Takumi have assaulted him? Before, she would have certainly thought not, but Takumi was different now. She never would have dreamed that he would attack the royal family of Nohr or try to usurp the Hoshidan throne, but now he'd done both of those things. That was a bit funny, she thought: now two princes she knew had been spurred on to change their kingdoms from within. She stopped that train of thought quickly, though, as it ceased to be funny. Anything that reminded her of Corrin made her heart feel black and icy. She dipped her finger into the water again so that the shock of the cold would give her something else to think about.

What to make of Ryoma? She had watched him leave shortly before she did, shouting about some kind of epiphany he'd experienced among the ghosts of his fallen family. She wasn't sure where he had been, and he seemed to be raving in a way she thought was quite daft and confusing, but she knew that if said he had seen his family, he probably wasn't mistaken about that. That encounter seemed to have the opposite effect on him that it had had on her, though: she could swear he was smiling when he left. That was the first time she could recall seeing him smile in many years.

 _Caw caw caw._

Azura looked up, disturbed. There was a lone crow sitting on the branch of a dead tree not far from her. It turned its beak up at her and repeated its cry. That was strange, she thought: crows weren't as common in Hoshido as they were in Nohr, and it was highly unlikely that one should see a crow completely alone. She recalled that in some Nohrian folklore, this was considered a bad omen. She shrugged her shoulders and went back to her puddle—really, how much worse could her luck get?

She thought she was about to find out as she heard two sets of footsteps approaching, but when she rose and turned around, she found Jakob and Gunter walking toward her. She tried not to seem too happy as she closed the distance between them, but she was quite relieved to finally quit waiting around in such a dreary place. "Jakob, Gunter," she said when they were close enough that she didn't need to shout, "I'm glad you're both safe. What did you learn?"

"We learned that your fears were entirely valid, I'm afraid," Jakob told her, "The situation is very close to what you described. Kaze directed us to a village sever miles north of Shirasagi, and we met a woman there who helped us confirm it."

"So…" she sighed, "he's doing it again."

"So it would seem."

"All right. I need to find my son, then. Do you think it would be possible for the two of you to disseminate that information to Nohr?"

"Hold a moment, didn't you already find Shigure?"

"I did, but we were forced to part when Takumi came stomping around with his men."

"Ah. What dreadful times we live in. I suppose we can try to inform King Xander, though I don't know how well he'll take it. Any of the royalty of Nohr are likely to scoff, if you recall what you told us happened last time."

"True enough… make sure Kana hears it, though. That's our priority. If she knows, then she can help fight on our behalf, and we may still stand a chance."

"Careful, you're starting to sound uncharacteristically hopeful, my lady."

She smiled. "And you're as predictably snarky as ever. Go on, now. We don't have a lot of time for conversation."

"Agreed. Though I wish every day didn't have to be the end of the world—it wears on a man's soul after a while."

"And a lady's."

"Beg pardon?"

"Nothing. Hurry along, you two."

[…]

"Thank you for lending us your tactical prowess, Lady Morgan," Xander said, "your planning made the Hoshidan presence there negligible at best."

"I do what I can," the redheaded woman said, playing with a lock of her hair, "Besides, their commander didn't plan his attack well at all, and I had the help of two other tacticians—this was no sweat, all in all."

"Still, if you'd permit me to speak impertinently for a moment, I noticed that both in your battle strategy and in your bearing, you possess something unique. You have a way of going about things that seems neither strictly Nohrian nor Hoshidan in its execution, not unlike Corrin. When he first introduced us, I rested on the assumption that you were Nohrian because of your name and dress, but now I'm left to wonder, where did you come from, exactly?"

She smiled. "I think that sort of thing needs to remain a secret for right now, King Xander."

"I mean you no ill will, truly, I'm simply curious."

"I know, but it's not something I can really afford to disclose right now. Just think of me like you do my husband—my origins aren't important to my position."

"I suppose that's fair. But I do make it a policy to know at least some details about those who serve close to me—Laslow told me about his mother and what a terrific dancer she was, for instance. Would you be willing to share anything like that?"

"I can see the habit of keeping tabs on the castle staff didn't leave you after you inherited the throne."

"Just so. I find a mystery of your degree, rather intolerable so, at the risk of sounding insistent, is there anything you might share with me?"

"I'm not high-born, or anything. My mother was a merchant, and my father, er, helped around the house. He was… a kind of consultant, I guess you'd say. An advisor. Anyway, I had a fairly normal childhood with them both—we lived in a villa a short walk away from a busy town. We grew grapes in a field nearby, and we had a few apple and orange trees. Sometimes my mother sold them, but mostly we kept them for desserts and wines. I spent my days either playing out in the fields or exploring the wide streets of the town—accompanied by my father until I was older, of course. When it was cold or rainy, I'd play chess with my father and learn about strategy, and in the evenings, my mother would teach me about her business so I'd have something to fall back on. I don't know if she ever planned to have me inherit the business, but I never did, either way. I made a lot of friends in that town, one of whom was Laslow. I don't know if you knew this, but back in the day, he was a shameless flirt."

"I had some notion."

"So, I watched him try to pick up girls all the time, and he always got rejected. It was pretty funny, honestly, but, after a while, I felt bad for laughing, because he really was a sweet guy, he was just too absorbed in flirting to create a real relationship, like he'd been taught to smile but not speak. Eventually, I offered to get some tea with him if he paid, and, well… I'll spare you the details of our long romance, but suffice it to say that, at his core, Laslow is a man of great character. One with whom I'd be happy to spend the rest of my life."

Xander took all this in and nodded. "I see. It seems as though you lived quite a happy life before all this. I thank you for sharing all that, but, if you'll permit me to pry a bit more, why did you leave all that to thrust yourself into serving my brother? And into this war?"

"First, let's get one thing straight: I didn't _serve_ your brother—I assisted him. Big difference. Second, you may have noticed I'm partial to traveling. My mother traveled a lot, and I with her, and at times, circumstances have made it impossible for me to stay in a certain place. Such was the case with my childhood home, eventually, and so I joined Laslow in traveling to this place. It was an opportunity for me to keep moving on when I couldn't afford to stand still, and so I took it."

"I can tell you've lived a very colorful life so far. I hope the dolor of war doesn't sully those colors."

"Not likely. As you may have also noticed, I have some experience in battle, too. Don't ask, though—that's a whole other story."

"At any rate, we're grateful to have you. You have my word that we'll do our best to protect you and your husband and resolve this conflict swiftly."

"I feel like I'm compelled to believe anything you say when you say it with such conviction, King Xander.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, because I have some orders to give, now that we're beginning to march toward the Hoshidan capital." The king motioned for her to stop and turned around so that his siblings took only a few more steps before closing the distance, and so that he could see the wave of black armor slowly crawling up the pale green plains. "Camilla, Leo, Elise," he called them, "I'd like to begin with the second phase of our plan. Attacking Shirasagi from only one end would be foolhardy at best and suicidal at worst, as I'm sure you all know. I'd like to divide our forces into two in order to engage the enemy at the two fronts where they will be most vulnerable."

"One will strike from the west while the rest engage from the south, right?" said Leo, "But who'll go where?"

"That's what I've been mulling over for the past few hours," Xander answered, "And the solution I've come up with is this: now that they know the direction of our advance, the Hoshidans will most likely reinforce their defenses to the south. The Great Wall of Suzanoh is also in that direction, as you may know. Given that, I'd like to take three-quarters of our forces with me north toward the wall and Shirasagi while the remaining quarter swings around through the plains we entered when we made our first foray into Hoshido all those years ago, entrapping our enemy, should our timing be proper."

"But won't Hoshido already have sent defenses west?" Elise interjected, "That's what we sent that diversion for, right?"

"Not quite," said Morgan, "the diversion was to keep them off our scent as we landed—if they amassed forces in the south before we even got off the ships, this invasion would be over before it began. Now they know we're heading north, so they'll be scrambling to defend that area so much that they'll forget all about the west… if luck favors us, anyway."

"And in case luck is feeling fickle, I'd like to bolster our chances," Xander added, "Morgan, I value your counsel and preparedness so greatly that I'd like you to take charge of that secondary offensive. If you're willing, I'd like to have Elise join you, too."

"What about Liam and Soleil? And my husband?" the redhead asked.

"They'll go with you, of course. As will Ophelia and Odin. I wouldn't dare separate you from your loved ones. Leo and Camilla, as well as Selena, Forrest, Silas, Sophie, and my own dear wife Charlotte and son Siegbert will remain with me, if you are amenable to the idea."

"If that's what you need, then I'll do it," Morgan said, nodding.

"Excellent," Xander replied, "And, if you don't mind, I think it would be best if Kana joined you. I don't want to expose her to much of the fighting, if it can be avoided—she's untested, and might not be a match for the stronger of the Hoshidan troops."

"Understood."

"Very well, then. We'll all make camp just over that ridge," the king said, pointing to a slightly elevated plateau along the horizon, "and rest up for the night. Then, beginning tomorrow morning, we'll split off and begin to engage the enemy. We'll need to be prepared to encounter harsh resistance, however."

[…]

"What?!" Takumi's voice echoed loud and sharp through the chamber. Oboro and Sakura shriveled a bit as they heard that shout.

"Yes, sir," the messenger said, "the villagers put up no resistance. They didn't want to be slaughtered, so they relinquished themselves to Nohrian control."

"The sniveling cowards!" Takumi railed as he balled his fists, "How dare they?! I was told that Kaigancho had been captured, not that it had been handed over without a fight!"

"It seems like they were in a bad situation," Oboro piped up, "They had the whole army of Nohr on top of them. What were they going to do, fight and be trampled immediately?"

"YES!" Takumi shouted, "At least that way they could have taken a few of those Nohrian dogs with them! This is _unacceptable_! The people of Kaigancho need to be punished."

"Darling, what for?" Oboro asked, "They just wanted to survive."

"Better to die boldly then to live on a coward," Takumi told her, "It was this kind of weakness on Ryoma's part that allowed the Nohrians to victimize us like this. Even our mother was too soft—she let them hassle us all the time, unchecked, because she was too afraid of the consequences of being firm. Well, I'm not gonna fall into the same trap. Hoshidan justice will be swift and pointed. Those that would shrink and bend before Nohr when threatened can join their ranks in the dirt."

"Takumi, please, calm down," his wife insisted, "Your eye looks like it's about to pop out of your skull."

He frowned, but he took a deep breath and composed himself. "You," he pointed at the messenger, "Go outside to the training grounds and seek a man named Kashin. Tell him to take his men and march down to Kaigancho via the Wind Tribe lands and execute anyone who aided the Nohrians there."

"Sir?"

"Did I stutter? Tell him to execute them."

"Y-Yes, sir…"

As the messenger exited, Takumi turned to his sister and his wife. "Sakura," he said, "I trust you received the news from that disobedient scoundrel I sent to you?"

"Yes," she said, nodding slowly, "you wanted me to lead a defense beyond the Great Wall."

"That's right. Will you do it?"

"What? That's crazy!" Oboro interrupted him, "Why would you send her beyond the Great Wall? The Great Wall is our best line of defense!"

"If the enemy makes it to the Great Wall, we'll already be in trouble," Takumi replied, "We have to delay the Nohrians and wear them out before they reach the Great Wall so that we can finish them off there."

"But, still," Oboro persisted, "sending Sakura out there by herself…"

"She'll have her retainers, and a vast portion of our army," Takumi corrected her.

"It's okay, Oboro," Sakura said with a renewed certainty in her voice, "I've never had a chance to prove that I deserve my royal status as did Ryoma, Takumi, or… H-Hinoka. I want to be able to do something for Hoshido t-too."

"That's my sister," Takumi said happily, nodding and smiling.

Oboro didn't say anything. She folded her arms and looked at Sakura with an unsettled frown. Suddenly, the emptiness of the wordless chamber seemed to grow much colder, and she felt a chill whip up her spine. Takumi had turned around and was staring at the Hoshidan throne again.


	43. Aftershocks

Sakura noticed as she walked that her footsteps seemed to echo louder than normal on the tile floors of the castle. Maybe it was because she was concentrating on her own feet as she walked, rather than on what was in front of her. That was also why she failed to notice Oboro slowly walking up behind her until she felt blue-haired woman's hand on her shoulder. The princess let out a tiny shriek, caught off-guard in the midst of her thinking, but calmed down when she saw who was standing behind her.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Oboro said in a hushed tone, "can we chat for a sec?"

"C-Certainly, what about?"

"You… you accepted Takumi's command pretty readily. That seems strange. I've never known you to jump into the fray. Even back when Corrin defected, you took a back seat, so I have to ask, why now?"

Sakura balled her fists and held them straight down at her sides. "I had a lot of time to think about everything that happened as a result of the war back then, and I've realized that I'm not satisfied with my contribution."

"What? Oh, no… Sakura, don't tell me you blame yourself. There's no need for that. What happened to Hinoka was a shock to everybody… please, I've had to watch two princes grapple with survivor's guilt, I don't need to see you walk down that same path.

"It's not just that, it's what you said before. When everyone else was fighting against Nohr, I stayed back, because people were worried I might get hurt, and they wanted to protect me. I… I don't want to be treated like a delicate flower anymore. I want to help people the same way my brothers did, the same way that Hinoka did—by fighting for it."

"I'm just worried because this is so unlike you, Sakura."

"Th-That's the point. I'm a princess of Hoshido, and it's time I lived up to my duty."

"O-Okay. If that's your decision, I respect it. Just… please be careful out there, okay? Takumi and I will do everything we can to support you."

"Thank you, Oboro. Please keep looking after Takumi: he listens to you more than anyone else."

Oboro agreed that she would and slowly began walking the other way.

Sakura went on out the door of the castle and began seeking out some of the military officers she would need to get in contact with to prepare for battle. Everything she had said to Oboro was true, but she wasn't yet sure who she could trust with the _whole_ truth, so it would be best to keep things close to her chest for the time being. For now, she could only hope to buy Ryoma as much time as possible.

[…]

"I just wanted to say thanks," Kana told him, "I definitely couldn't have done it without you."

"Don't worry about it," said the blue-haired boy, "I'm supposed to be your retainer now, aren't I? So this was just me doing my duty."

"Yeah, but you got hit by all those arrows…" the princess frowned.

"Just a flesh wound," Liam said, brushing off his shoulders and wiping down the red cuts along his arms, "I've dealt with nastier people before. If you think an arrow's bad, you should see what a broken bottle can do if you're not paying…" He noticed that Kana was already wincing empathetically and decided to stop. "Er, point is, this is nothing."

"I'm also kinda surprised because, well… it seemed like you didn't like me very much when we first met. Actually, I think you said that you didn't out loud."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, about that… You've probably noticed that I'm not exactly the easiest guy to get to know. I was mad about the situation, not so much at you. Although, I'm not big on being made to take orders, especially from someone I don't respect, but, after seeing all that… You've got some real fire in your eyes, Kana. I see conviction in you now, where before I just saw some princess fresh outta the Nohrian Royal Kindergarten."

She laughed a little, "I _have_ always been a little short for my age… Anyway, I guess I've come around on you, too, because I thought you were just some grouchy punk before, but you're a lot smarter than you look."

He scowled. "What's that—" He interrupted himself when he saw her smiling back at him. "Uh, yeah, sure. Let's… go with that."

"Oh, there's my favorite brother!" they both heard. They turned and found Soleil running up to greet them. She gave her brother a hug and flashed Kana a quick salute. "Are you okay, Liam? Elise told me you took some hits from arrows."

"As we were just discussing, I'm fine," he said, folding his arms.

"Aw, don't clam up just 'cause your big sister's dropping in on your little tête-à-tête. Or is this a more _private_ meeting?"

"What? No! Can it, you!"

"Hee hee. You're so cute when you're all huffy. I'll leave you to stew for a sec while us girls have a chat."

Liam stuck his tongue out at her as she turned her back.

"So, Princess Kana, we didn't get much time to talk back on the ship. I saw you fighting alongside my brother, and I gotta say, I'm impressed by your swordsmanship. I've been practicing for years and I don't think I'm half as good as you," Soleil told her.

Kana flushed. "Oh, you're exaggerating. I've never seen real combat like this, so I was just sort of winging it. I got a lot of training from Uncle Xander, but I don't know if I made any good use of it."

"Wow! Trained by King Xander himself!"

"It's not a big deal… he said he trained my papa, too."

"Oh, yeah." Soleil's face fell. "Now that you mention it, in case I forgot to say so on the ship, I'm so sorry about what happened to your papa."

"Thank you. I'm… still sort of processing it."

"I bet. My mom told me to let you know that you should come talk to her if you need help dealing with this sort of thing—she said she went through the same thing when she was a young lady."

"That's nice of her, thanks."

"So, um, the real reason I wanted to talk to you was… well, since my dad is King Xander's retainer, and, by royal arrangement, I'm Prince Siegbert's de facto retainer, and he's not here, I was thinking… How'd you like to have two retainers for a little while?"

"Hm? Oh, uh… the more the merrier, I guess."

"Great! That way I can stay close to fragile little Liam and make sure he doesn't get hurt."

"I can still hear everything you're saying, you know," Liam informed them loudly.

"I do know," Soleil replied, "and do _you_ want to know something? You've been very rude to your big sister this whole trip, and I don't appreciate it one bit."

"'Whole trip?' We've been gone a few weeks, tops."

"Not the point, Liam."

"Well, I can't help it. You're always prancing around so hale and gleeful… it gets overwhelming after a while, you know? You wear a guy out."

"You… want me to stop being cheerful?"

"Not all the time, just… you don't always have to be grinning a big grin and bouncing over every time you come to see me, you know?"

"Okay, I'll try to bring it down a few notches."

"Thanks. Er, sorry for being so stiff, I guess."

"See, wasn't that easy?"

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, when'd you get that big cut on your lip?"

"Huh?" Soleil touched her face. "Oh, right. If you can believe it, one of those Hoshidan jerks had the nerve to punch yours truly in the mouth after I'd disarmed him. Sheesh. No manners, those guys."

"Here." Liam tossed a small vial at her. "That's a salve for quickly restoring tissue. It'll make sure you don't end up with a big ugly scar there."

"Aw, I'll be okay—"

"Soleil, use it." He waited and stared at her with his arms folded. She did as he asked and rubbed some of the viscous, crema-colored substance from the vial onto her lip. It felt a little cool, but it relaxed the burning, nagging pain she had been feeling there. "Good," Liam sighed, "Now, be a little more careful in the next fight. Don't leave your face unguarded."

"Solid advice, master strategist."

"Seems like you need it, Miss I-Trained-In-Swordplay-For-Years."

Kana looked between them with some concern, but, suddenly, they both broke out into a laugh and Soleil came forward to give her brother a hug that he didn't seem to resist too much. Kana shrugged.

"Sorry to break up the meeting, kids," they all heard a new voice say, "but I'd like to have a word, too."

"Mom." Liam gestured out toward the redheaded woman, "Woulda figured you'd be working on some new battle plans about now."

"Well, I wanted to check up on my babies first. It's been a while since we had a minute to relax," she said with her left hand resting on her hip.

"It has. I expect to hear a whole bunch of stories about your adventures, mom," Soleil said.

Morgan nodded. "I'll tell you about a big dungeon full of relics I found."

"We still can't relax just yet," said Liam, folding his arms again.

"Oh, I'd say we've got a few moments, honey," replied his mother, "Or are you going to keep on pretending to be mad at me?"

He shut his eyes and exhaled loudly through his nose like an irritated dragon.

"You're that upset, huh?" Morgan deduced, "We can have a chat about this later, but for right now, isn't there anything mom can do to make you less angry?"

He didn't say anything.

"Like… giving you a big kiss on the forehead?" As she proposed the idea, she acted on it.

Liam opened one of his eyes and grimaced as she kissed him. "Mom…"

"Something else, maybe… are you still ticklish on your tummy?"

Kana covered her mouth and tried to suppress a laugh.

"M-Mom…! This is embarrassing! Knock it off!"

"Maybe if you weren't being such a downer, I wouldn't have to mess with you, but…"

"All right, all right, I give! Can… Can I come sit with you in your tent for a little while tonight?"

She smiled. "Of course you can, sweetie."

Kana looked at the blue-haired boy curiously, but was interrupted in her thoughts when Morgan began speaking again.

"Now," said the redheaded tactician, "I'm sure you all heard the new marching orders King Xander issued."

"Yeah, we're going to fan out west while the others head up south, right?" Soleil resumed.

"Righty-o. And there's going to be significantly fewer of us, so we're going to have to prepare for combatting many enemies at once. Soleil, I know you're already familiar with some of the methods I've devised for taking on groups of up to five with a blade—maybe you can help Princess Kana through a little crash course?"

"Sure thing," Soleil agreed.

"And Liam," Morgan continued, looking over at him, "I understand you were helping Kana in our previous battle, and, according to a few reports I read, it was your cunning that led to Prince Saizo being captured."

"Well, I don't mean to brag, but—"

"You'd have been killed if Kana wasn't there. That's my assessment of the situation."

"M-Maybe… What d'ya want? I don't have any weapons of my own."

"By _your_ choice."

"Is there a point to this?"

"I have a hypothetical scenario for you: you find yourself surrounded. There are two knights behind you, two sword-wielding foes in front of you, and an archer off to your right side. What do you do? You don't have a weapon, of course."

"Easy. I go for the sword guy on the left. Wrangle him up as best I can—see if I can grab his weapon, and, either way, turn him around to use him as a shield. Hopefully, I can take down the other sword-wielder that way, too. If the knights take a swing at me, I'll drop to the ground and gather up some sod or grass and throw it in their eyes before I back up. If the archer's still taking aim at me then, I'll yell something to throw him off, like, 'You got one shot, deadeye! Miss it and I'll check my shoe size with your face!'"

"…Aside from the fact that that quip could use some work, is that all? At least three of your enemies would still be alive then."

"Right, and then I bolt."

"'Bolting' doesn't really work when two armies are fighting a battle, hon. That's called 'desertion,' and you can get jailed or executed for it."

"Er, w-well, I guess, in that case, I'd be running to get someone who actually stands a chance of taking those guys down?"

"We're going to have iron out some of your battle strategies. Meanwhile, Everyone, please remember to keep your eyes peeled as we're marching. We'll be heading deep into enemy territory at this point, so dispatches of troops could crop up anywhere, and spotting them in time could mean the difference between victory and defeat. One more thing: Kana, when you get a chance, swing by my tent, okay sweetie? I want to talk to you about your dad, if you're comfortable with that. If not, let me know, and we'll hold off until you're ready."

"Yeah, okay," the aqua-haired princess said, "I'm fine. Maybe we can talk after dinner?"

Morgan nodded. "I'll keep my evening open."

[…]

Shigure's ears were ringing, and he could feel moisture on his forehead and in several circles near his midsection as his right eye slowly opened. Okasho hadn't been entirely destroyed—it had been ripped straight through, as if a wagon the size of the planet had rolled one of its wheels right over the town.

His next thought was that he would need to move. He was undoubtedly bleeding, and he wouldn't have much time to find a healer before he died of blood loss. When he tried to move, however, he found that his legs wouldn't cooperate. They were pinned to the ground as if by one-ton weights. He could move his right arm, however, and so he lifted it to his head, felt his fingers dampened by his own blood, and looked down to see the red liquid pooling beneath him. Following a long breath, he reached the same arm out, dug it into the stones, and pulled himself forward, scraping his armor on the stones beneath him as he inched forward.

He pulled himself toward a small house nearby, a process that, at his pace, took the better part of an hour and, when he neared the door, he summoned all of his strength to ball up his fist and pound on the wood, sending the door flying back. It swung around on its hinges and struck the wall behind it, revealing a darkened, empty house. Shigure sighed and looked at the other houses on the row. No smoke came from the chimneys. No windows were open save those that were broken. Doors were ajar and shutters were left undrawn. There wasn't a single sign of life in the entire town. If he stayed here, he would die here, he realized, and so he spun himself around and started dragging himself in the other direction. He kept dragging himself for as long as his muscles could bear, without any idea of a destination. He pulled and scraped his armor, and, over time, scraped and scratched the holes in his chest where splinters of arrows still stuck. He left trails of dark red blood, dry or otherwise, as he went, and he could trace the heat of the sun, rising along his back and burning his neck, then warming his hair like a lake's surface and, eventually, searing his brow and making the salt from his own sweat sting his eyes.

He kept on crawling blindly in that fashion until he watched the sun disappear. As the golden flame extinguished itself behind the dark gray and purple mountains before it, Shigure supposed that soon his flame, too, would be extinguished. He would die failing his mother and never knowing his father's goals. He would die having only managed to cut down a few Nohrians and, therefore, likely failing to save any of his family. He would die without seeing his sister again after he'd struck her.

The chill of dark was creeping up his back, and Shigure let it pass, dropping his arm and letting his head sink into the grass.

He assumed the shout of "Shigure?!" was an illusion conjured up by the feverish mind of one who was almost ready to accept his passing. Then, suddenly, he felt himself hoisted into the air, and he tried to open his eyes as his vision and tactile senses blurred together in a dark delirium. He felt hands massaging something onto his wounds and then, suddenly, he felt himself replaced on a hard surface.

"Shigure," the voice that he had heard before murmured, "I'm so sorry that this had to happen to you. It's my fault for not being there. I was weak, but you stayed and now… now look at you. This is the fate _I_ deserved, not you."

Shigure had no idea what to make of the voice, and he certainly couldn't respond to it in any way beyond a simple gurgle that, at this point, might have been mistaken for a gasp of impending death, so he didn't want to risk it. He sat and waited to see what would happen next: his wounds were no longer aching, so, perhaps some stranger had felt pity and rescued him. But the individual seemed to know his name, so it couldn't simply be any stranger. Who could have stumbled upon him? The voice was not his mother's…

"I can't imagine what kind of horrors you faced to get in a state like this, but the fact that you're still alive after all of it, well… Don't take this the wrong way, Shigure, but… Maybe those other children weren't too far off when they called you 'black-blooded.'"

Shigure managed to strain one eye open again, and he could see a blur of pointed red shapes looming over him.


	44. Rivers Joined

"C-Cadros!" the hooded figure shouted, "No! Please, no!"

"Patria," he replied, blood streaming down his face, "It's going to be all right." His left eye was stuck shut by his blood, but the right tensed up, as did his cheeks, into a smile, of all things. "This is the course of things. I asked them to stop… it's only natural that they'd retaliate. We have to be prepared for that sort of thing, and we have to show that our ends can be accomplished… without violence."

"No, Cadros! This isn't right! You only asked them to stop attacking each other, and they turned their weapons on you! This is outrageous! It's… It's… I'll kill them all!"

"My friend, please, I beg that you don't." Cadros's smile had been replaced with a frown." Fighting and killing can only beget more of the same. You have to take the high road. You have to end their squabbling by reason, not by force, or it will never hold."

"Cadros… there's something I need to tell you, in case you… In case this…"

"Please, go on."

"Cadros, as you may have suspected, the name 'Patria' was a false one, as is this body—although this form has taken on a certain life of its own. In truth, I am a fragment of the dragon known as Anankos."

Cadros smiled again. "Incredible. I had always suspected you were someone significant, friend, but to be the great and wise Anankos… I'm humbled to have received your favor. It also explains why you were so interested in human culture…"

"My friend… it is I who feels humbled by you. My brothers and I created humanity… fundamentally as a race of servants. Mindless drones meant to do our bidding, with power that, compared to ours, was like a grain of sand in a vast ocean. And yet, over time, you all found a thirst for knowledge and understanding that none of us expected. It was a thirst I was, at first, glad to slake, but now… I fear this is the consequence for my arrogance."

"Please… humans may pass, but there shall always be more of us to live on."

"I don't know that that will continue to be the case, but I'm not talking about humanity, Cadros… I'm talking about you. You, who accepted me into your home so warmly when others reacted solely with suspicion. You, who turned rancor into peace throughout Valla. You… a human who stood against dragons while another dragon hid behind you. I always had a fondness for humans, like a group of infants under my protection, but you… you've proven yourself noble beyond even me."

"I shall have no need of medicine for my wounds, friend, for your words are the finest balm."

"Cadros… I'm so sorry."

"Anankos… no—my friend: all is forgiven."

Anankos embraced the blue-haired human as he fell. It was immediately clear that all of the energy had passed from this body, as it fell lightly and delicately, like a scrap of cloth moved by the wind. There was no great noise from Cadros as he fell, nor from Anankos as he eased his friend down. They did not cry out, they did not tumble to the ground with a thunderous clash; Cadros simply slumped over into his friend, and was calmly lowered to the ground. Anankos shed exactly one tear over his friend's lifeless body before rising.

Then, away from this silence, there came great stomping sounds—the sounds of his brethren approaching. Anankos stood to meet them, though in this form they towered over him. They spoke to him in the ancient language of the dragons.

"Anankos," said the one the humans had called the Dark Dragon, "Grieving over the death of this human? This assassin you sent against us?"

"He was no assassin," Anankos replied, "He brought only words of peace."

"And yet he was armed," said the Dark Dragon, indicating the Yato that now lay beside Cadros's body.

"He needed to be able to protect himself," Anankos said, "But I suppose it was insufficient protection from your inconceivable bloodlust."

"Don't take that tone with me! You would stand with a human before your own brethren?! We are noble, refined creatures, and they mere puppets! Low and filthy savages, scrambling to overpower one another for a taste of the authority we hold over them. They are despicable."

"This human, Cadros… he was more noble than you could ever hope to be. If anyone's behaving like a savage, it's you!"

"Anankos, brother," said the one the humans called the Dawn Dragon, "I share your sympathy for these poor creatures. That said, they are… imperfect, as our brother pointed out. Normally, I would detest having to agree with him on any point, but… perhaps it's time we began anew. Time to admit that we made a mistake."

"Even you would see them die?" Anankos started, "No… No, you're both mad. I won't allow you to harm them. They deserve to live."

"Anankos…"

"NO! They… they deserve to live! More than we do! You don't know what I know of them! Of love and art and oratory and companionship… You all! _You_ are the pestilence! _You_ are the filth!"

"Have you gone mad? Hold your tongue!"

"No, I'm far from mad. I'm the sanest I've ever been. I will… I will preserve these humans, even if I must stand against you all. I foresaw, once, that we would all go mad and annihilate each other in time, and I fear that that time has now come. I will not allow you to ravage all that which is good in this world!"

The other dragons exchanged glances.

"Could… could he be right?" asked the Dawn Dragon.

"No, it's impossible," replied the Dark Dragon, "I… I feel fine. I am sane, I am certain of it."

"Your authority over these humans has intoxicated you both," said Anankos, "You have presided over insular groups of them for so long that they have revered you as deities, and you have spared so little thought to the contrary that you now believe their worship."

"That's not…"

"No, it couldn't…"

"You," Anankos said, indicating the Dawn Dragon, "have grown fat on the tributes they provide you. You listen and laugh as they sing songs praising you, but exact murderous vengeance on those who disobey or desire to leave." Now, he pointed to the Dark Dragon, "And you: you force them to make sacrifices, to cull their own numbers, at first for your insensitive designs, but now you take a sick pleasure in it, watching the despair in their eyes. You are both scum who have forgotten your places."

The dragons examined their own forms before returning their gazes to Anankos.

"Anankos… you may be right."

"But… if we have already gone mad, what hope do we have?

"I will speak to another of our brothers," Anankos told them, "I will formulate a solution to this problem, too. However, it will take time, and it may see us separated. You must try to mend your ways, brothers."

"We will… endeavor to do so."

"Perhaps we truly have gone too far…"

Anankos turned as did his brothers, and the two dragons quickly fled from sight. Anankos picked up Cadros's body and began walking back to the town where he had lived. He would build for Cadros a palace worthy of his being. He would be honored as Valla's master—its first king. None would ever surpass him in glory, and he would be revered for all time as the greatest of humans. So Anankos told himself. Humans could save themselves by following his example, so he went on. _I will protect the humans_ , a voice echoed inside his head, growing steadily louder, _My brothers are insane. I will protect the humans. My brothers are insane. I will protect the humans…_

[*]

Shigure tried to sit up, but was quickly reminded of the pain all over his body and only managed to rise a few inches before collapsing back down.

"Finally awake, huh?" a familiar, deep voice said, "You ought to take it easy. I used some medicine, but those wounds aren't going to go away quickly."

"W-Who…?" Shigure muttered. His mind was racing, but his jaw couldn't quite catch up.

"Oh, right," the voice said, drawing nearer, "Let me just take care of this, and then I think all will become clear…"

After saying this, the figure leaned over Shigure and placed something that he quickly recognized as a damp rag over his eye. He winced and groaned a little as the man looming over him rubbed the rag roughly along his forehead and eyelid, but afterward, the figure stepped back and Shigure blinked, finally able to open his other eye. He was startled to realize that the voice and form that had rescued him belonged to none other than Ryoma. "R-Ryoma, you…?" the aqua-haired boy stuttered, "When last I saw you, you were being buried at sea by Aunt Sakura. What madness is this?"

"My death was a work of deception," Ryoma answered, "and while I'm sorry to have put you through such distress, it was necessary so that I could leave Hoshido—leave your Uncle Takumi, more specifically. Shigure, it was your mother who spared me."

"Mother? Ah, so she _did_ follow my suggestion."

" _Your_ suggestion?"

"Oh, the idea of faking your death was entirely hers, but she came to me when Takumi was rounding up extra troops from the castle's staff. She wanted to explain some things to me, but I told her to seek you out instead. Certainly anything I could do, you could do better."

Ryoma smiled. "I think you give yourself too little credit, Shigure. In any case, I want you to know what your mother told me, so that you can be an ally to us in the conflict to come."

"'Conflict to come?' I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think the conflict is already well underway."

"No, Shigure, a different conflict. One neither you nor I could have even fathomed until a few days ago."

"All right. I'm listening."

[…]

"Is that the city you were talking about, Ms. Morgan?" Kana asked, pointing over the horizon.

"You can drop the 'Miss,' sweetie," the redhead replied, "but yes, that's the town of Shotenmachi. Its population is mostly merchants. Not the biggest trading hub in Hoshido, but an important one for sure. I expect it won't be heavily defended, but we should be prepared to encounter resistance regardless."

"And we'll snag some of the merchants' supplies before we leave town, is that it?" Liam added.

"You got it," Morgan said, nodding at him, "Elise, anything to add?"

The blonde princess hummed and cupped her chin. "I can't help but notice our diversion force isn't here, and the town seems to be unscathed," she said, "But this town was right on our troops' path. Either they decided to go around it for some reason, or they were routed here. Either one doesn't bode well for us."

"Well spotted," Morgan concurred, "Still, we don't have time to fall back and reconsider. What do you think is our best option for attacking?"

"The element of surprise is always good," Elise answered, "Plus, it's a town full of merchants, so there's bound to be a lot of them running scared if we attack suddenly. If we can cause a lot of confusion, then we might be able to render whatever defenses this town has null."

"Brilliant," said Morgan, "Your ability to analyze civilian populations is uncanny, princess."

"Oh, stop," she said, rubbing the back of her head.

"All right, then. Let's prepare for combat, everyone," Morgan announced. Those around her began to unsheathe their weapons and walk back toward the collection of soldiers behind them to disseminate the order.

The preparation didn't take long—having fought one battle not too long ago, most of the soldiers under Morgan's command were now adequately prepared for a second. They split into five subdivisions to approach the town without drawing too much suspicion—each was led by Morgan, Laslow, Elise, Soleil, and Kana, although they all had primary orders from Morgan to direct their advance.

Morgan's group, naturally, was the first to advance so that she could analyze her enemies' defenses. When she breached the perimeter of the town a few paces ahead of her group, she noticed there were several samurai and mages stationed at strategic points near corners of each street. Additionally, she noticed archers pacing the roofs of several buildings, scanning the streets carefully—she could hear their boots tapping on the roofs and the several seconds of anxious silence that followed. Taking care of them would be a priority to ensure the success of this advance, but why did the town seem so prepared? Could they have been forewarned?

Morgan had to stop thinking about the town, because she noticed an archer was leering down at her. Had this been a solo operation, she would've disguised herself, but war allowed no time for such things, and so she was standing around in distinctly Nohrian-looking clothes. This was a tricky position: if she didn't react, the archer might alert someone, but if she bolted, he would be even more suspicious, and she certainly couldn't afford to alert the whole town by attacking him now. She decided she had to do something, and so she returned her observer's stare, looking him up and down, then winking at him while putting her finger to her chin. The archer gave her an embarrassed smile in response and quickly looked along the rest of the street to make it seem like he was busy. _Jackpot_ , Morgan smiled to herself.

She crawled along the darkened corners of the street, away from as many guards as she could, and, when she was sure she wasn't being observed, she pulled herself up a pole holding a tapestry and used it to transition to a windowsill, and then grabbed the roof of the building, finding her footing, and pulling herself up yet again.

Now she could see all of the archers, and damn, there were quite a few. She heard the boots of one approaching her, and she scrambled back down the ledge, waiting and listening. She heard the boots draw right near the edge and stop. Psyching herself up, she released the roof with one of her hands and threw it forward, grasping one of the boots she had heard. When she was sure of her hold, she yanked the body as hard as she could. He didn't fall forward, but tripped over himself, falling loudly onto the roof and breaking a few tiles. Morgan pulled herself back up and saw the man's eyes squinted as a trickle of blood oozed out from behind his head and onto the tile. He wouldn't be getting up for a while.

Morgan had made it onto even footing with the archers, but what would be her next move? She needed to remove as many as possible, but magic would probably be too loud. She could try to use the archer's bow, but she wasn't well trained in archery, and even a single misfire would lead to suspicion. She supposed it was her only option and pulled the bow out of the man's hands, then grunted as she had to lift him to pull the quiver off his back. She nocked one arrow and aimed at an unsuspecting archer two buildings over, but, before she loosed it, she whistled in a way that imitated a bird's call. This was her signal. The arrow snapped forward and ripped through the air.

"That's the signal," Soleil correctly identified, nodding to the men at her command, "Okay boys, let's make this one quick!"

They surged into the streets, several of the Nohrians shoving the roaming merchants and civilians against walls while others readied themselves to meet with the guards who began to approach. Morgan's group had rushed the main gate to the town as well, and were currently threatening the frightened merchants and squaring off against the guards in the same fashion, meaning they had succeeded in causing a panic on at least two fronts.

Two samurai ran up to engage Soleil as he moved with her group. She blocked one's strike, shoved him back, and punched the second in the head before he could complete his attack. Since he was dazed, she stabbed this samurai in the gut and kicked him down, ready for the other to attack. She parried it again and elbowed him into a wall behind him. "Smile!" she told him, thrusting her blade into his stomach, "You're dead."

Elise charged onto the street atop her horse, her husband seated behind her. They both stood on the creature's back, holding one another's hands for support, and held out their tomes. "O ancient and nebulous forces who grant us our power…" Odin began.

"Fail us not as we call upon you. We ask for your dark energies that we might grant our foes a taste of oblivion," Elise continued.

"Spare none who would raise a hand against us—protect our beloved, and vanquish all those who stand in our way!"

"Dark Dragon—Royal Talon!" Elise finished, and as she did, bolts of lightning scattered along the streets, burning and knocking down groups of soldiers who had just begun to hear the commotion. The pair's accompanying soldiers took to the streets after their initial strike, and they both began firing bolts of flame and dark magic along the streets ahead of their troops to blow away the enemy.

"Don't forget about me!" Ophelia shouted to no one in particular as she ran up behind her parents. "Pale Star Beam!" she shouted, and dropped sparks of dark magic onto even more soldiers who had begun emerging from neighboring streets.

"Nice!" Odin shouted down at her, "Er, I mean, well done, Ophelia Dusk! Your luminescence is laudable!"

Morgan dropped the bow, having run out of arrows. She had succeeded in felling at least four or five archers—hardly the entire town's worth, but enough that there would be fewer interruptions and less cause for concern among her ground troops. Plus, she went on, as she saw Nohrian soldiers overrunning the streets, she could afford to use her significantly louder and more powerful magic now. She began scaling back down the roof, but she felt her heart sink when she heard a powerful metallic noise rush through the streets—someone had managed to reach an alarm bell, and a big one, which meant that even neighboring villages or towns might know what was happening. They would have to hurry before Shotenmachi was reinforced.

[…]

Shigure and Ryoma had both turned their heads to the ringing making its way over the hill. "That's an alarm bell, isn't it?" Shigure asked.

"No doubt about it," Ryoma agreed, "Judging by how far it sounds, I'd guess it's coming from Shotenmachi."

"We should help," said the aqua-haired prince.

"I don't think that would be wise. You're still injured, and I… I can't show my face, or else my deception will be revealed too early."

"But… those people must be under attack. What if they're all killed?"

"Shigure, we can't—"

"After all you told me about what you learned after my mother spoke to you? What was all that about being afraid to act?"

"It's not quite so simple."

"I think it is. There are Hoshidans under attack over there. You, as the rightful king of Hoshido, can choose to sit here and do nothing, but I'm not going to let them suffer and die when I can provide help."

"Shigure, you don't understand what you're doing!" Ryoma shouted at him, but it was too late. The prince had sprung up and raced in the direction of Shotenmachi. "Dammit," Ryoma sighed to himself, supposing that he now had no choice but to follow Azura's stubborn child.

[…]

"Watch out!" Kana shouted to Liam as he was approached by spear-wielding Hoshidan.

"Working on it!" Liam shouted back. He grabbed a fig from a crate at his side and chucked it at the charging enemy, who took it straight to the face, grunting and falling down. Liam cocked an eyebrow at the box of fruit. "Huh. Surprisingly effective projectile. I'll have to make a note of that."

"Aren't you supposed to be protecting me?" Kana asked, locking swords with a samurai.

Liam looked at them and then up at a cloth-covered support beam over them both, accompanied by lanterns on either side. He grabbed another fig and lobbed it overhead. "Stand back!"

Kana blocked another strike from her opponent and then complied, hopping back a step. She watched as one of the lanterns fell from the roof and crashed loudly several feet away, belching a few flames before dying out. She glared at Liam, who shrugged.

"Nice aim on your buddy there, Nohrian witch," the samurai said, swinging at Kana again. She tried to turn the tables and press the attack, but his block was too quick, and he struck back at Kana quickly, grazing her vambrace as she doubled back. She swung again and they clashed, but the samurai's arms were a bit stronger, and he began to push over the fatigued Kana. She braced herself to roll away, but was distracted by a flapping sound. At once, a white canvas sheet fell onto her foe's face, knocking him over. The bottom of the sheet was singed and smoking. Kana took advantage of her good fortune and finished off her enemy before turning to face Liam. "So, you were aiming for the sheets and not the beam or the lanterns, huh?"

"Y-Yeah," he said, sweating, "That's… definitely how I planned for that to go. It was like clockwork!"

Kana was about to say something else, but she heard approaching footsteps, as well as a conversation.

"Damn," said one voice, "they've practically got the whole city in a riot."

"Word spreads slowly in chaos," said another, this one deeper, "Whoever's leading them is quite cunning."

The footsteps turned the corner and Kana's eyes widened when she saw Shigure and Ryoma racing up to meet her.

"K-Kana?!" Shigure sputtered out on seeing her, "What… _you're_ leading these forces?"

"Not leading, but I _am_ a part of them," she replied.

"Oh, I remember you," Liam said, walking up behind Kana, "You're one of the Hoshidan royal family, aren't you? Planning to take us out, is that it?"

"I'd watch your tongue, Nohrian," Ryoma said, also drawing closer, "I'd rather not hurt Kana, but I won't take kindly to any of your ilk making a move on me or my kin."

"K-King Ryoma?!" Liam started, "Or… wait, is it Prince Ryoma now? Ex-King Ryoma? Anyway, what are you doin' here? I figured after what we say Prince Takumi would have you under lock and key."

"Circumstances have changed. I don't know what you have planned, but Shigure has decided to protect this town, and I with him."

"We're stuck on opposite sides again, huh?" Kana said with a sigh, "Shigure, you know I'm not really interested in fighting you again."

"I do, and that's why I think it's important that I explain that I'm not interested in fighting you, either. I heard things, Kana—about our mother and father."

"What things?"

"Things that helped me to understand why our father said what he did to Lord Takumi. We shouldn't be on opposite sides, Kana. We should be helping each other."

"I agree, but you're here with Hoshido, and I'm with Nohr. Neither of us want to abandon our families. We've been down this road once before."

"You're right, but I think I've found a bend in this path we're following: you know about the enemy our father was facing, right? The big one?"

"You mean—er, right, shouldn't say it, but yes, I know what you mean."

"And you're familiar with Nohrian history, right? What happened to King Garon?"

"He was deposed by my father and my aunts and uncles."

"But there was something more about that, wasn't there?"

"Huh? Um… some people said he was possessed. My understanding was that he'd just lost the will to go on living with all of the bad stuff that had happened to him, and so he went insane."

"There's some truth to that. Now, Uncle Ryoma, do me a favor and tell Kana what you once told me when I was little about the Hoshidan throne."

"The throne? Well, it was built back in—"

"No, the superstition."

"Oh, right. It's said that one who sits on the throne will regain their 'true form.' Their purest self, in other words. What does that have to do with anything, though?"

"Now we're getting somewhere," Shigure said, clenching his hand into a fist, "Kana, maybe you can deduce the same thing I did: what was the last thing our father said to Lord Takumi?"

"Um… he asked to look into his eyes, I think."

"And is there something unusual about Takumi's eyes?"

"He… wears an eyepatch, doesn't he?"

"Yes," Ryoma agreed, "Corrin cut Takumi years ago in the war and struck out his eye. I still don't think I see your point, Shigure."

"Consider these two facts in conjunction, then: when was the last time Lord Takumi sat on the throne? And why did our father ask to look into his eyes just before he was killed?"

"He… thought something was off with Takumi?" Kana guessed.

"And… he wanted to look into his eyes not just because he was behaving strangely…" Ryoma continued, "But… ah!"

"Wait…" Kana said, blinking rapidly, "If I'm hearing you right, it sounds like you're saying the guy our father was facing had something to do with King Garon's death and… you think the same sort of thing is happening with Takumi?"

"Just so, sister," Shigure said with a small smile, "I'm glad you caught on. It makes enough sense, I think: King Garon was only deposed after he tried to spark a war with Hoshido, now the Hoshidans have provoked an invasion by Nohr. Don't you see? All along, there's been someone pulling the strings."

"I don't know what you're on about, but it sounds whacked out to me," Liam said, frowning at Shigure.

"No, he's right, Liam," said Kana, "Based on what papa told me, it would make sense if someone wanted another war between Hoshido and Nohr, and they would have just the means to do it through Takumi."

"International conspiracy," Liam resumed, "Not exactly how I thought this whole thing shook down, but it makes about as much sense as any reason for starting a war."

"I wonder, though," Kana continued, "That doesn't resolve our conflict of loyalties, Shigure."

"I had a thought about that: maybe, if we stand together, we can convince both sides to resolve this conflict peaceably."

"You really think that'll work?"

"I _do_ have the rightful king of Hoshido with me."

"And then what? We'll still be marching toward Shirasagi."

"I'm not so concerned about all that. The people around Shirasagi are mostly those loyal to Takumi, so they can fight for their cause if they like. I just want to end this conflict as quickly as possible so that we can reveal the truth. In the meantime, I'd only like to ask that we don't harm my cousins, the Princes Shiro, Kiragi, and Asugi."

"Well," Kana said, looking over her shoulder, "Asugi is already somewhere back there in the prisoner convoy, so I'd say that's a reasonable deal."

Shigure sighed, but not out of frustration. Rather, his face showed a relieved smile. "So, no more fighting, then, sister," he said offering his hand.

She took it, "In this, we're joined, brother."


	45. Dusk Breaks

Liam watched as the pair shook hands and nodded at one another. "Well, look, that's all well and dandy," he said, "but I'm not so sure your whole love-and-respect sibling deal is gonna fly with the rest of the folks around here. Don't forget that we were in the middle of invading this town, Kana."

Kana nodded at Shigure. "He has a point."

"Maybe we can convince both sides to de-escalate this conflict," Shigure replied, "I think seeing Ryoma here might be enough to dissuade some of them, if he gives the order, but do you think anyone on your side would be willing to put a stop to this?"

"Lady Morgan leads our forces," said Kana, cupping her chin, "She used to work with papa. I bet if I tried explaining, she'd listen."

"Excellent. We have a plan, then—let's get to it."

The two pairs split their paths down the alleys spreading out from the corner around which Ryoma and Shigure had appeared: the exiled Hoshidans went back the way they came while Kana and Liam raced down a perpendicular street toward Morgan.

Morgan herself was continuing to prove a major hazard for the Hoshidans. She and her husband stood back-to-back, blocking entire circles of samurai as they tried to pin the pair down. They both swung with rhythmic precision, blunting the attacks and rotating to continue covering one another. The defense was easy to coordinate, but it took a bit of a toll, wearing them both out before long. "Getting a little tired of this," Morgan said between panting breaths. She flashed the silver-haired man behind her a sinister grin. "Feel like wrapping it up?"

"What, done already? I think all that time with Lord Corrin made you soft," Laslow answered.

"If you're gonna crack jokes at the girl covering your back, I think your head's gone soft."

"You really never do let anything get by you, do you?"

"It's in my nature. Just like being stubborn is in yours."

"All right, all right. Time for some fancy footwork?"

"On your mark."

Laslow nodded and leaned forward at the samurai in front of him like he was about to swing his blade, but when he saw his enemies had committed to a defensive position, he smirked at them and dropped to the ground. "All yours!" he called.

Morgan whipped around, flicking a red tome out of her pocket. She opened it and cast forth a wave of flames that sent the shocked samurai flying back and leaving trails of smoke.

One of the samurai behind Morgan decided to try to take this apparent lapse of attention, taking aim at her back. He started when he saw her leap up over a somersaulting Laslow, who sprang up to stab the samurai in the stomach, taking him down. The others tried to menace him, closing in from all sides as Morgan spun around. She switched tomes and fired a blinding flash of lightning that made the samurai stagger as Laslow shielded his eyes. When the light subsided, Laslow cut each of them quickly and kicked them to the ground.

"Lady Morgan!" The pair were distracted when they heard a voice drawing close accompanied by pounding footsteps. They saw Kana and Liam approaching, and Morgan instantly set about wondering why.

"Kana, Liam," she acknowledged them, "What's going on? Did your end break down?"

"No, listen, you have to stop this offensive!" Kana told her.

"Huh? What for?"

"My brother Shigure is out here, and so is King Ryoma. Neither of them want to fight us!"

"Shigure? And King Ryoma? What are they doing out here?"

"I'm actually not entirely sure myself. But, the point is, Shigure doesn't want to fight Nohr—he thinks someone outside our purview is pulling the strings in Hoshido's new government."

"Outside our—ah!" Morgan's eyes flashed. She stroked her chin. "Really? I figured he was involved, but to think he'd take such a direct approach… that's not to say it's unprecedented, but… Hm… I suppose, given the amount of resentment Hoshido's civilian population might bear…"

"Uh, mom?" Liam called out to her, "We kinda need you to do something _today_."

"Oh, whoops! I got a little caught up in thinking about things. Right, well, I'm glad Shigure and Ryoma don't want to fight, but how can we be sure their countrymen are going to feel the same?"

"They said Ryoma would give the order to stand down," Kana said.

"Simple enough, I guess," Morgan said, shrugging, "but it might be better if we can come together to organize a ceasefire—we can get everyone to pay attention at once. Think you can tell them that?"

"I can try."

"Good girl. We won't attack any more Hoshidans in the meantime—we'll try to just keep them at bay."

"Thanks!"

Kana and Liam began running back down the street to follow the path of their erstwhile allies. "I did _not_ sign up for running a relay," Liam complained.

"Yeah, you just signed up for a war. Much simpler," Kana replied.

Liam cocked an eyebrow at her. "Was that… were you being…?"

"What?" she looked over, still running and panting.

"Never mind," he said, "Just watch out, princess. I think my family might be rubbing off on you."

They had to stop their sprint when they realized there was a wall of Hoshidans guarding the road Ryoma and Shigure had taken behind the unoccupied part of town. They readied their weapons when they saw the two Nohrians approaching.

"Aw, hell," Liam said, frowning, "guess it's true what they say about the best laid plans. You don't s'pose these guys'll just give us a pass, do you?"

"I doubt it."

"Even if we're really polite?"

"Liam, now's not a good time for jokes."

"Fine. But we do need to get through them. More specifically, _you_ need to get through them."

"Well, we can't attack. Hard to claim we're trying to bring peace if we have to carve our way through the enemy's ranks to deliver our message."

"True enough. I think I have a solution, though."

"You do?"

"I think. One question: can I borrow your hair tie?"

Kana blinked at him.

Liam walked up to the Hoshidans as they readied their weapons. He had stuffed his arms back into his sleeves and tied his hair so that it collected in a straight, short ponytail. He had his eyes mostly shut and a placid smile plastered on his face as he approached them. "Greetings, brothers!" he said in an airy voice, "I require your assistance to flee from this place."

The Hoshidans exchanged glances.

"I am a priest from Izumo, and I do so desperately need to get out of this awful place if it's to be ravaged by war in this way."

"What's this guy's deal?" one of the Hoshidans shout-whispered to another.

"I think he's just some confused old man. Definitely not a threat, but…"

"Please, sirs, would any of you be so kind as to escort me away from all this violence? Or will you, perhaps, keep me safe up here for the time being? In either case, I would be eternally grateful."

The Hoshidans began conversing again, and Liam turned his head to the side of the street, spying Kana inching her way between pillars and windows. She looked back over at him and screwed her face up. He scowled at her, waving his hand and mouthing "Go!" She complied and ducked behind another pillar just as the Hoshidans started facing Liam again.

"You're a long way from Izumo, father," one of the Hoshidans told Liam, "What faith do you belong to?"

"Er, faith?"

"Yes, what for what religion do you act as a priest? You don't wear the robes of a Dawn Dragon worshipper."

"Oh, right… er, I come from the Servants of the Noble Groundhog."

"'Noble… Groundhog?'"

"Yes. That is… what I said. For you see, gentlemen, groundhogs are endowed with a great many traits that we consider praiseworthy in humans—they are humble and know their place in the universe, to enumerate just one such quality…"

"Somebody hurry up and help this guy out of here."

Fortunately, the rest of the Hoshidans were much more scattered throughout the roads of Shotenmachi and much too concerned with the battle to notice Kana slowly creeping through the darkened parts of those chaotic streets until she found an orb of periwinkle hair and, beside it, a long brown mane. She crept up close and, when she thought she was adequately visible, she called out: "Hoshidan general!"

Shigure and Ryoma turned around to face her, stunned. Shigure began, "Kana, what are you—"

"Our commander, Lady Morgan, wishes to parley with you to cease hostilities. Will you command your troops to stand down?"

Ryoma and Shigure exchanged glances before Ryoma nodded. "Very well," the former king said with authority, loud enough for all the Hoshidans around to hear, "Soldiers of Shotenmachi, your king hereby orders you to stand down, and to disseminate that order as quickly as possible. Young Nohrian, will you please escort me to your Lady Morgan?"

"All too happy to," she grinned at him.

[…]

"So, you mean to tell us that Princess Kana is no longer among your numbers?" Jakob resumed.

"In brief, yes," Xander told him, "what about this is so vital? Share it with me, and I'll happily pass it on when our numbers recombine."

"By that point, it may already be too late."

"There's no need to be so vague and ominous, Jakob. You've been in my family's employ for ages, haven't you? So why not explain yourself clearly, for my sake?"

"I wish I could afford to give more detail, but… Your Highness, if you have any sense about you, don't let this become a conquest. Defeat the Hoshidans, exact your revenge as necessary, and then leave this place. Some of the actors on this stage have been replaced between acts. And we may soon find the setting itself changed."

"I never took you as one for so much poetry, Jakob."

"It's come with serving Lady Azura, I believe."

"That's right, how is my sister-in-law?"

"Well, but she went in a different direction seeking her son. She may even find Kana first as a result. Funny, that."

Xander sighed and looked out over the hill that gradually climbed into the Great Wall of Suzanoh, where beyond stood Castle Shirasagi. There would be no fewer than two great battles standing in the way of achieving his objective. He couldn't afford to even have his forces weakened in either of them. "If you have a message for Kana, you should hurry to the northwest, then. And be wary of Hoshidans who will be looking to prey upon hapless Nohrian travelers."

"I'll do as much. Thank you for your assistance as always, Your Highness."

"Don't call me that."

"It only feels right."

"Not to me."

"Well… another time, then, Lord Xander."

"Um, father?"

Xander turned around to find his son waiting, staring up at him. "Siegbert," he acknowledged, "what is it?"

"I apologize if I was interrupting, but I bring some rather unfortunate news. Some things that I… can't quite make sense of."

"Very well, go on."

"Well, for one… the town of Kaigancho… much of it has been burnt to the ground. Civilians have been executed or forced into their homes and robbed by soldiers."

" _What_?! This can't be our soldiers' doing—"

"No, that's what's so strange about it. According to our spies, the one who orchestrated the attack was the new King Takumi himself. Their information says it had something to do with the fact that the civilians didn't fight us when we landed."

"Monstrous," Xander said, shaking his head, "Even a stubborn fool like that Prince Takumi wouldn't be so callous as to do something like that to his own people. He's a foul-tempered brat, but not a maniac."

"I can only tell you what I've read, father."

"No, I don't mean to criticize you, my son, I'm… I'm just as confused as you are."

Siegbert stared at his father and knitted his brow a moment before continuing: "In any event, the other news is that Princess Sakura has sent an envoy to us. She's leaving the confines of the Great Wall right this moment to lead an army against us."

"An army outside the Great Wall? I suppose they mean to fatigue us before the real battle," Xander decided, pinching his chin, "but why send their princess to head such an attack? She could easily be captured or worse, were Nohr's army not reformed and firmly under my command."

"Your orders, father?"

"Assemble everyone, of course. Be prepared to fight, even if I don't yet fully understand why. And, Siegbert… you should lead alongside your mother and I this time. It's important that the troops see you in a leadership position, as you ought to be regarded?"

"But I'd be doing more good fighting with the others, don't you think?"

"Not always. A good leader knows when to be a king and when to be a soldier, son. Someday, you'll need to be both, so it's important to get battlefield experience as both."

"I understand. As you say."

Siegbert rode off, expelling a cloud of sod as his steed carried him away quickly.

"Something here reeks like a rotten tomato," Leo said, folding his arms and staring at his older brother, "That is to stay, still pleasant in some manner, but with a level of unsettling destruction of purity at its heart."

"I'll be interested to see Princess Sakura's take on all this," Xander said, "Something isn't sitting right with me, either. Remind our men that the princess is to be taken alive and attacked only if it is critical to the survival of others."

"You can't hide your anxiety behind orders with me, Xander. What are you thinking?"

"It's strange: we're the invaders, and we have a clear advantage over the enemy—even they know that… so why do I feel this lingering sensation that we're walking into a grander trap with every step that we take toward that castle?"

"It's natural to assume Lord Takumi is preparing some kind of ambush, coward that he is."

"No, it's something beyond that. Leo, did you feel a tingle in your skin when we fought our father? Like… like your very flesh was repelled by him?"

"Maybe… but I chalked that up to being reluctant to fight family."

"I'm feeling it again."

[…]

"So, here we sit, at the moment of climax once more," Corrin said to his mother, watching over a ridge. Just as in days past, they're at each other's throats once more. They never seem to learn. It's… regrettable, in a way, isn't it? Regrettable… if they only heeded that advice about learning from history, maybe this wouldn't…"

He let the thought escape him and grimaced before hanging his head.

"You're still too sentimental, boy," Sumeragi told him, "Don't worry, those feelings will fade in due time. For now, we can watch our master's orders come to fruition. Every fallen soul, every drop of blood on the dirt and grass will be another step closer to this world reaching the end it rightly deserves—control will be guaranteed and then all will be as it should. This world will be wiped clean of its human influence."

"I find myself… wishing they didn't all have to… you know, that they…" the young man struggled.

"It's all right, my sweet child," Mikoto said, placing her hand on his shoulder, "You are sympathetic to them, because you are so good-natured. What you need to understand is that this _is_ the best course for them. Soon, they will all be relieved of the strife that makes their lives so unbearable—the same pain that made you pray for death over having to choose in your weakest moments—all that will soon pass from their minds, and everything will fade into the gray."

Miles away, inside a darkened chamber that smelled of mildew and death, there came a stirring not felt in some time. The walls of the sizeable chamber shook: dust fell from gaps in the ceiling and stones in the floor split apart as the rumbling shook the building's foundation. A low growling and groaning filled the air, like the suffering words of a man deranged played and echoed back upon themselves hundreds of times.

At the back wall of this chamber sat a massive stone mask. The expression of this mask was carefully crafted by the artisans who built it to house the entity that lay behind it. The mask featured shut eyes, a blunted nose, thin lips, and a ritual mark in the center of the forehead. It showed no age or expression. The face was neither old nor new, neither pleased nor upset—it was the face of a man who had accepted death in his final moments, relaxed with a kind of benign acceptance that humans could never hope to describe or share, for the moment it was experienced meant the end of their capacity to speak. The cheeks and forehead of the mask had begun to crack, allowing purple and scarlet mists to jet out of the gaps, wheezing like dying breaths.

The walls of this underground structure, the basement of Castle Valla, shook ferociously as this mask ripped itself away from the wall to which it had been affixed. The golden walls holding it in place cracked and fell to the side. A snakelike body with jagged protrusions shook itself, including the portion covered by the mask, groggily, waking from its long slumber. Its voice was horse and filled with a dark grain that had come from eons of disuse. "I am… betrayed," it said, "I am… betrayal. I am conquered. I am the conqueror. I am beloved. I bring love. I am despised. I bring hatred. I am… silent."

The heads of all the Vallites suddenly stopped and found themselves irresistibly attracted toward the direction of the castle.

"I am… your god," said the voice of ancient shadows.


	46. Withered Bloom

"King Xander," the rose-haired woman said. Her face was unusually flat, showing none of the signs of anxiety and shyness that typically accompanied her speech—her eyes didn't dart around and her lip didn't quiver.

"Princess Sakura," Xander replied to her, "thank you for agreeing to meet with us. I want to make sure that you and your fellow royalty understand that this battle isn't meant for claiming territory. Once our fight is finished, Hoshido will be free to reclaim control of its land, although I can't guarantee that the economy of Nohr will not react with considerable censure—that's out of my hands, of course."

"So… that's really it?" said the princess, "You don't want to take over Hoshido at all? You just want to… you've done all this just to kill my brother?"

"When you put it in those terms, it does seem extreme," Xander said, closing his eyes, "but you have to understand that your brother, Takumi, crossed two lines when he murdered Corrin and attacked mine and my siblings' children. Those are acts that can never be forgiven."

"I know," Sakura said with a longing sigh, "all the same, I wish it didn't have to come to this."

"Of course you do. You have a good heart, Princess Sakura," said Xander, "Which is why it perplexes me so much to see you carrying out your brother's will like this. I know that you must have loved Corrin as much as we do, and you must have also cared greatly for Ryoma, who Takumi exiled, so why is it that you serve the man that stripped those people away from you?"

"What would you do if Prince Leo had killed Corrin, King Xander?" Sakura asked, "Or what if it had been Princess Camilla? What if Corrin had killed Princess Elise and kicked you off your throne?"

"I…" he hesitated, "I find such situations difficult to imagine, but I… I don't really…"

"So did I," said Sakura, folding her hands together, "When we finally found Corrin, I had no idea that he would eventually decide to return to Nohr. I didn't know that Hinoka would die in battle against you. I didn't know that when the war was over, my brothers and all my countrymen would drift apart… but that's my reality now. I didn't get to choose it, but it's not enough to run away and say that I wasn't prepared. I have to face things as they are, no matter what happens."

Xander bent his head. "I… see," he breathed. He lifted his head again and tried to soften his face, but his stubborn frown remained. "Princess Sakura," he said, "I'm glad we had this opportunity to speak. You bring honor to the memory of your mother. In service to your brother, flawed though he may be… you may have just proven yourself an even greater ruler than I."

She didn't say anything in response to his praise. As the moment lingered and a light wind blew through their hair, her expression shifted to a more natural one. "Another question, if I may?" she asked with the small hesitation that was more common to her.

"Go on," Xander said, nodding.

"My husband, the ninja Saizo and my son, Asugi, were sent to Kaigancho to prevent your advance. I was told our forces at Kaigancho were soundly routed, and I wondered…"

"Your husband and son are both alive and safe," Xander told her. Her eyes shut sharply as if she'd suddenly been struck in the stomach. "They are not with me, I'm afraid, but they are among a group of Hoshidan captives far at the back of our lines."

"Could I… could I speak to them?" she asked, her words weighted down in her throat.

Xander shook his head. "I'm afraid they're too far out of our reach now. I have nothing but the utmost respect for you, princess, but I can't spend time bringing captives all the way to the front of the lines for your sake. You must understand."

"I do," she said with her eyes shut again.

"They are assuredly safe, however," Xander repeated, "I would not dishonor myself by deceiving you. When this battle is ended, they will be returned to you."

"You believe I'll survive this battle, then?" she said, reopening her eyes.

"You've survived everything else you've endured," he answered.

"Thank you, Your Highness," she said after a pause, "I think that will be all."

"As you say." Xander took her hand and shook it, and they both looked into each other's eyes before releasing their grips and turning their backs to one another. The wind rose up again and blew their hair to the side. It also made the banners held on either side of them flap noisily in the wind as the color-bearing soldiers who held them turned to accompany their lords.

[…]

"It was good to finally meet you in person, King Ryoma," Morgan said, smiling at him, "I heard a lot of tales from Corrin, and you do them considerable justice."

"Thank you," he said, "but don't call me 'king' now—I don't deserve that title. I failed to save my people from great harm. I ran away from things when they became too difficult, and now… Now I'm only trying to salvage what little dignity I have left."

"I think you're too hard on yourself," said the redheaded tactician, "If you called out to all of those Hoshidans out there and asked them who their king is, they'd say your name, not Lord Takumi's. It's easy to whip people into a mad frenzy and give them a boogeyman to fight. It's a lot harder to preside over people at peace, when the enemy isn't something you can just hit until it stops moving."

"You speak as if from experience," Ryoma said, arching his eyebrows.

Morgan giggled. "No, I just happened to be graced with connections to some great people."

"If they were able to teach you such things, I should like to meet them, too," Ryoma said, "For now, however, may I ask what your plan is after leaving Shotenmachi?"

"Isn't it obvious? We'll be heading east toward Castle Shirasagi."

"And there you'll claim Takumi's life."

"I'm sorry. I wish there were some other way…"

"No, he needs to pay for his misdeeds. I've accepted that much. He… no longer resembles my brother in my eyes."

"But what will _you_ do, Ryoma? You already spoke to Azura, so you know what the real deal is. What do you think you'll do, knowing that?"

"I think that letting this whole affair end as quickly as possible, like Shigure suggested, is probably the best thing for it. I won't impede you at all. Once Takumi is dead… I'm not sure. Perhaps I'll try to resume my old position, but there may be those who still resent me. It will be difficult, regardless the circumstances."

"It wouldn't require a noble's touch if it were easy."

"Hm. And yet you mentioned you aren't of noble birth, but you seem able to perform all these ministrations without much in the way of aid."

"I didn't say difficult things could _only_ be accomplished by nobles. What matters most is determination. Nobody ever accomplished anything by giving up early."

"You're just full of aphorisms, aren't you?"

"Sorry. Bad habit I picked up from my dad."

"Ah, right, the master tactician. If you say he's even more cunning than you, I'd love to meet such a man."

"I'm afraid his time in this realm has passed."

"Oh, of course. Forgive me, I should have—"

"It's all right. I have a feeling you two would have hit it off. You remind me of somebody else he knew… my father had no siblings, but that person was like an uncle to me. He was a bit unsure of himself at times, but he had a strong and just heart. Put in a similar position, I can see him doing all the same things as you, honestly."

"It's incredible," Ryoma said, shaking his head, "We've reached the twilight hour on one of the worst times in my life and yet, speaking to you, I can't help smiling. Is this a power of yours, too, Lady Morgan? How do you manage it?"

"That'd be some old family charisma, I guess," she said, smugly stroking back a lock of her hair, "You don't get to be a merchant's daughter without learning how to make people smile."

"You know, you two can't spend all day talking," Shigure told them, also smiling, "At some point, people are going to start asking questions, or worse, starting rumors."

"Right," Ryoma said, taking a step back, "Well, it was very nice getting to know you, Lady Morgan. I hope that our paths can cross again someday, and that we can speak as friends at such a time."

"I'd like that, too," she said, nodding to him.

Suddenly, a shriek rose up from along the wide center street of the town. "Wait! Don't!" it pleaded.

Shigure, Ryoma, Morgan, Liam, and Kana all turned their heads in unison to see Azura frantically sprinting up the hill. "Please!" she shouted, "Shigure, you mustn't!"

"Mother?" he stared at her as the vague white and blue blotch on the horizon neared him. She slowed her pace as she realized no one else was moving and all eyes had turned to her.

"Shigure," she called to him as she came closer, "I was told I could find you nearby. I wanted to warn you against engaging Nohr, but now, as I look around…"

"Mama?" Kana stared at the blue-haired woman with glassy eyes.

"Oh, Kana, my darling!" she exclaimed, "You're here too? But then… are you both…? Can you be…?"

"Lord Ryoma, I think Lady Azura could do with a little explanation, don't you think?" Morgan said, glancing over at him.

Ryoma nodded. "There's nothing to fear, Azura. Here, Hoshido and Nohr have negotiated a cessation of hostilities. You have Kana and Shigure to thank for that."

Azura looked at both of her children, each of whom were giving her faint smiles. "You two…" she breathed. With a great exhale, she fell to her knees. Kana and Shigure, both shocked, ran over to pick her back up, grabbing her arms and lifting them. As they did so, however, she insisted that she would be fine in a moment, and was merely overwhelmed. "I can't believe it," she said, "I just never thought, after all that happened, that you would… I didn't think you would ever go back to being…"

"Mother, compose yourself," Shigure told her, gently stroking her back, "Neither of us can make any sense of your words."

"Are you sad about something, mama?" Kana asked her, crouching down to meet her gaze, "Or just upset? Either way, everything's okay, I promise."

"You two… you're amazing, as children and as people. I want you to know that," she told them, snaking her arms around each of their shoulders, "Now, come here. Let me hold you like when you were babies just for a moment…"

They bowed their heads and allowed their mother her silent embrace. As they huddled close together, Azura lifted her head to the sky and uttered a noiseless thanks to her husband, for she could feel his influence in both of them. They were both safe, and she was with them.

[…]

The battle against Sakura's forces had been strangely grueling. She wasn't much of a strategist, not unlike her husband, but her troops fought with a greater tenacity than Xander had anticipated, perhaps because they were closer to the capital both literally and in spirit. In particular, Xander was currently mired in a struggle with an entire wing of pegasus knights who had been dispatched to delay him and those closest to him. Charlotte had whipped herself into one of her fearsome furies, vowing to violently disembowel the next flier who came at her.

Leo had sent Niles to try and deal with the unexpected threat, but he quickly became surrounded by samurai, necessitating the use of further ground troops to protect him, but he was only one man, and, skilled as he may be, he couldn't belay all of the fliers himself. Other archers tried to support him, but were usually foiled by insufficient protection as the rest of the Nohrians tried to press the attack.

By contrast, however, Silas, Camilla, and Sophie, working in tandem between the land and skies, had managed to carve their way up the Hoshidan chain of command and were attempting to get in closer to Sakura in hopes of ending the battle quickly, but they were now being stalled by another threat: a woman with tan hair and a lethally sharp blade and a younger woman with the same color hair who rode upon a pegasus stood in their way. The female samurai struck them suddenly and knocked Sophie off her steed, leaving her to huddle up, bleeding and kicked repeatedly underfoot by hundreds of soldiers running to and fro. That made both Silas and Camilla understandably angry, and they turned up the ferocity of their attacks, no longer refraining from breaking bones or stabbing or cutting faces in order to keep moving and help their daughter recover.

Not far behind them, Siegbert was enduring his own struggle to blunt the enemies' advances on him. He was singled out as important by his similar garb to that of his father's and quickly surrounded by a great many troops. Fortunately, Forrest was also present and using his magic to scatter the foes almost as quickly as they could join the pile, though that didn't prevent Siegbert from having to turn every direction in order to keep them at bay. He cut at them as best he could and caught nearly all of their attacks, but fatigue was burning his arms before long. He only hoped that he could endure long enough for the rest of his family to finish this battle.

In the meantime, Xander was attempting to gain some leverage over the pegasus knights plaguing him by using his blade Siegfried's power to send bolts of dark magic into the sky, but the fliers were simply too agile. Finally, one of them, a man with red hair, bore down on Xander with such intense speed that it sent even the king reeling when their weapons collided. "The king of Nohr!" the pegasus ride exclaimed, "I've been waiting a long time for this—not just because I'm eager to show my perfection by vanquishing you, but because of what you've done to the Hoshidan royal family!"

"Your words are wasted on me, Hoshidan," Xander told him flatly.

"Is that right?!" he growled, spurring his pegasus and slamming into Xander with his naginata. The blunt end of the weapon hit Xander's side, but he deflected the blade in adequate time. "I want you to know something," the flier said, doubling back to loop around for another attack, "My name is Subaki. I've been Lady Sakura's retainer for many years now, and I want you to pay for the pain you caused her when you murdered Lady Hinoka!" He flew in and tried a straight-on stab this time. Xander dodged it with only a nick on his armor. "Do you hear me?" Subaki shouted, "I'm going to make you pay! Say something!"

"You and so many others," Xander said, his tone yet unchanged. His weapon clashed with Subaki's again, but this time, he didn't budge. The king used the pause to punch his enemy in the face, drawing blood from his nose. "You're all the same," Xander said as Subaki adjusted his angle and tried again, "Whether I've been a high prince or a king, there's always been someone who thinks I don't understand pain or suffering—that they'll surprise me with their unwavering determination. Let me tell you what I told them all before the fires of their lives were extinguished: you know nothing!" When Subaki flew around, he was shocked to see Xander charging at him at the same speed. There wasn't enough time to slow his steed, so he braced himself to endure the attack, only to have his weapon smashed in two by the force of Xander's strike. The blade broke through and embedded itself in Subaki's shoulder. "I am the king of Nohr!" Xander proclaimed loudly, "Land of those deprived by the gods! I didn't get to my position by sitting back and letting others handle my business—my strength gives me authority, and vice versa. In a land of scavengers, I am the lion that hunts and kills their carrion!" With that, Xander ripped his blade out of Subaki and went back to fighting off the other pegasus knights.

Silas was helping Sophie up off the ground as Camilla dodged around the samurai who was still giving them trouble. Camilla frowned at her, saying, "That's quite enough, I think. You've earned your keep, little one."

"Don't talk to me like that, Nohrian witch!" the woman shouted at her, "I'm Hana, a retainer to Lady Sakura, and I'm going to tear you Nohrians to ribbons for making Lady Sakura cry!"

She continued swinging at Camilla, who dodged her adequately thanks to her wyvern, but she suddenly came crashing to the ground when the beast groaned and fell over. It landed on her arm, making her grunt and trapping her underneath. Silas looked away from Sophie when he heard the sound and noticed Hana pressing her advantage. He regretfully let go of his daughter and ran to his wife's aid, stopping the samurai. They traded sword blows for a minute before he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and realized that he had been shot by an arrow. He looked straight ahead and saw Sakura training her bow on him.

"I'm… I'm sorry!" she said in a voice that was holding back tears. She launched another shot, this one mostly blunted by Silas's armor, but he was then wide open for a quick attack from Hana that cut his arm. The shock of it knocked him from his horse.

"Daddy!" Sophie shouted, struggling to pick herself up in the mass of moving feet as she watched Hana loom over her father. Camilla also reached out, but was still unable to move.

Hana almost felt herself grinning as she raised her katana, but she was interrupted: "Hold! Don't move!"

She turned to face the new voice and found a blond boy on a horse facing her down, his body adorned with gold trimmed armor and a purple sash. "And who are you?" she asked.

"I am Siegbert, the crown prince of Nohr," he replied, "stay away from my uncle!"

She rolled her eyes and looked back to Silas, preparing to strike. She turned again when she heard horse's hooves racing up to meet her. She felt her feet dig deep into the dirt as she stopped a strike from the prince. She looked up at him and scowled: he looked so pale and scrawny, so how did he manage to hit her so hard? It must have simply been the momentum of the horse, she decided. She threw a quick flurry of strikes at him with her katana and scored several cuts on his arms as he was too slow to dodge her. "You're the crown prince, right?" Hana asked him, jabbing him in the stomach, "Why don't you get your dad to come fight me? Maybe he'll be a real challenge." She suddenly seized his arm and yanked him down off his horse into the dirt. She kicked him in the face before swinging her katana up to cut Silas.

She herself was pulled down, however, and her jaw smacked hard against the ground. She rolled over and found the prince grasping her ankle. "I think you'll find me adequately challenging," he said, and she swore she could almost see a gleeful smile.

She kicked out of his grasp and tried to stand, saying, "I didn't think Nohrian royalty would stoop to playing that dirty."

"I consider it an unfortunate necessity," Siegbert told her, dusting himself off, "Now, have at you!"

Their blades crossed for another minute, Hana still cutting him on most of her attacks—he reeked of inexperience as he fought. Despite his station and apparent gumption, he was still just a kid, Hana thought. Then Siegbert shoved her. She quickly lost her balance and felt his weight hit her again as he shoulder-tackled her onto the ground. "A royal of Nohr must use many methods to subdue his foes," he said, "and he must adapt to conflicts as they develop. Since I can't match you at the sword, I tried some unarmed tactics. What do you think?"

"Smug little brat!" she shouted at him.

"Did I come off that way? I do apologi—" his words were cut off as she punched him. "That was a bit rude," said the prince, rubbing his cheek. He unsheathed his blade and stuck it into her stomach before she could move out of the way, telling her, "There, now stay down. That wound's shallow enough that you'll live if you don't move around too much."

She hissed at him, but found herself unable to get up due to the pain.

Siegbert's ears suddenly perked up and he watched an arrow whistle toward him until it was absorbed by a burst of flame. Sakura was on the other side, staring at him in wide-eyed shock. Behind him, he found Forrest riding up with his tome open. He smiled, saying, "Thank you, Forrest!"

"Keep your head up," his cousin told him, "There's another in addition to Lady Sakura."

Siegbert confirmed his cousin's assertion when he saw a pegasus charging at him. He rolled to the ground to avoid it and saw a woman with the same brown hair as Hana's taking aim at him. "Get away from my mother!" she shouted.

Siegbert dodged again.

"What's the plan?" Forrest asked him.

"Plan?"

"Yes! Everyone else is out of commission here, and you're the crown prince, so what do we do?"

"Um…" He could hear the wings of the pegasus beating down toward him.

"Siegbert?"

"I… I don't…"

"Siegbert! Hurry!"

"P-Princess Sakura!" he said, "I have to defeat Princess Sakura if this is to end! Please, keep that flier away from me!"

"That's more like it!" Forrest said with a pang of irritation, throwing a bolt of thunder at the pegasus knight, who yelped and changed course to attack him. Siegbert pressed on through the crowd of Hoshidans until he stood across from Sakura.

"You," she picked him out, grimacing, "You're the crown prince, aren't you? Siegbert… Xander's son."

"You know of me?" he asked, "I remember seeing you briefly, but…"

"I know all of Nohr's royal family. I make it my business to know. You're the shy, bookish type, aren't you? Always afraid of how you'll measure up to your father…"

"Do you mock me, Lady Sakura? I bring you no dishonor."

"No, just the opposite. I'm… surprised by you, Siegbert—by the person you are. If you're Nohr's future, I think it's in good hands."

"My lady…?"

"But, I still can't lay down my bow against you," Sakura said, training her weapon on him.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," said the crown prince, leveling his sword.

"You have no idea," Sakura said, mostly to herself.

Siegbert spurred his steed and rushed at Sakura, enduring a square hit to his right shoulder and almost near his neckline as he came forward. The wound oozed blood and sapped the strength from his right arm, but he managed to summon up enough power to cut into Sakura, staining her white gown stark, bright red with blood and knocking her to the ground where she let out an undignified grunt.

Panting and clutching his arm, Siegbert dropped down from his steed and crept over to her with a vulnerary in hand. He poured it on her wounds and watched her face squeeze in pain. The ground beside her was wet with tears that slowly streamed from her eyes. "Forgive me, Lady Sakura," Siegbert begged, "will you call off your soldiers?"

Her eyes were clenched shut. "Ryoma, Takumi, Hinoka… mother. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't do better."


	47. Minutes to Midnight

"Dammit!" Takumi struck the wall, leaving a small crack and indent in the stone. "How could Sakura have been defeated so easily?"

"The Nohrian army must be even more powerful than we imagined," Oboro said, "How awful… I can only imagine what they're doing to her, or what they've already done to her…"

"She barely bought us a few hours!" Takumi went on, "How can we hope to defeat the Nohrians if I can't even trust our leadership to wear them down a little?!"

"Takumi, that's your little sister! Aren't you worried about her?"

"I'm more worried about what's going to happen to us, don't you see? Sakura was never going to stop them, but if they break through the walls here, it could mean the end of all of Hoshido!"

"What… what did you say?"

"I said if the Nohrians break through, Hoshido is doomed! That's why we have to concentrate on—"

"No, not that. The thing about Lady Sakura."

"What? Yes, she wasn't going to win that battle. Of course not. Everyone knew that."

"Everyone?"

"Oboro, do you have a point, or are you just distracting me with meaningless questions? There's an army knocking on our front door! We have more important things to worry about!"

"So… you knowingly let your little sister… I mean, you didn't think she had any chance of…?"

"She volunteered to sacrifice herself for the greater good of her country. She'll receive all the honors that any valorous servant of Hoshido should, but for that to happen, Hoshido still has to be standing when this is all over."

Oboro was silent and stared at her husband. She couldn't say she was angry, but her face was fixed into a permanent frown. She didn't think she was afraid, either, but she could feel herself shaking. Something between her husband's attitude and the approaching military might of Nohr disturbed her more deeply than she could have ever conceived.

"Now, if you're finished," Takumi continued, turning his attention back to the door to his chamber, "we need to put some more serious resistance in Nohr's way if we're to succeed here. As such, I've decided to call upon someone who I know will be capable of defending our position on the Great Wall." He shouted to the door, "Come in!"

Kiragi entered, bowing his head to his mother and father. "Uh, hi dad," he said.

"Kiragi, you know what I need you to do, right?" his father asked.

"Yeah, you want me to lead the defense at Suzanoh, right? To make sure that the Nohrians don't get here?"

"That's right. But not just you—that'd be too difficult a task for you alone. I want your mother to join you."

"Me?" Oboro said, eyes widening, "I don't have a lot of leadership experience…"

"You don't need it," said her husband, "I know how strong you are, and you've led detachments of my men before—just think of it as a similar mission on a grand scale. Nohr may be formidable, but they're no match for our greatest defensive asset combined with the strongest soldiers in our employ."

"But is it necessary to put Kiragi in the middle of all this?"

"He has to learn to be a leader at some point, Oboro. What better time than in a time of crisis for Hoshido?"

"But—"

"If the defense breaks down, you two can retreat to the castle. I'll need you for a new plan, in that case, but, besides that, you'll have plenty of protection: I have Hinata, Hisame, Shiro, and Kagero all taking up the same garrison."

"Kagero and Shiro too? I suppose that _is_ a lot of support…"

"This is for the good of Hoshido, Oboro. It's the only way we survive this."

"But what about you? What will you do? Why won't you join us, if it's so critical?"

"As much as I hate to say it, I can't actually stand in battle until we're at our last line of defense. If the enemy managed to defeat me in battle, there'd be chaos regarding proper ascendancy of the throne, and then Hoshido would be wide open to be picked apart by an army looking to capitalize on the confusion. If I fall in the castle, though, there won't be much hope left for Hoshido anyway."

"So, you're just too important to die?"

"Oboro, please, it's not like that."

"Takumi… you've always been such a kind soul. Hard to get to know sometimes, and even harder on yourself, but you've always had an amicable spirit deep down. You always wanted to be better for your people, and that's what made me fall in love with you, initially… Please, I don't want you to lose those traits. This is a bad situation, but we can get through it without abandoning all our principles."

"I'm not abandoning anything. I'm asking you to stay strong and trust me. We will save Hoshido and ourselves."

"If anything should happen to me, promise me you'll at least spare Kiragi the same fate."

"I promise—but nothing's going to happen. Trust me, I'll make this work."

Oboro grabbed her son's hand and led him out of the chamber, her arm gradually moving up to cradle his shoulders as the heavy door slowly swung shut behind them.

"I will protect Hoshido," Takumi said to himself, "It's… what has to be done. It has to be. Can't let them win. Have to protect Hoshido. Has to be done. I will… can't let them…"

[…]

"That smoke," Morgan said, eyeing the black clouds spilling out over the horizon, "That means the battle has already started. We need to increase our pace even more. We can't afford to worry about fatigue at this point—if they start that attack on the castle without us around, it's sure to mean trouble.

"I'm sure Castle Shirasagi is well defended, but Xander and his men are very capable, dear," Inigo told her, "I say that from well-founded experience. I agree that it's important that we get to them quickly, but I don't think it's necessary that we exhaust ourselves in so doing."

"It's not about Xander's capability, or that of his men," said the redhead, "I'm worried about what Lord Takumi has in store. He certainly seems like the type to have a few tricks up his sleeve. Besides, don't forget that Hoshido isn't the only big factor in this war."

"You think our real enemy might be cooking something up, too?"

"Well, given what we know of his abilities… it's safe to assume that he'd be greatly benefitted by the death and consequent weakening of both Nohrian and Hoshidan troops, don't you think?"

"Sure… Ah! I think I see what you're saying. You think that he's planning to use the fighting around Hoshido's capital as a kind of staging ground."

"If both armies manage to severely reduce each other's number or, worse, if one just barely manages to scratch out the other…"

"…it would mean there'd be almost no one left to stop a large-scale invasion. Ruthless dastard. It's the same reason why Grima lured my father out to fight Walhart: killing both of his biggest competitors with one stone."

"So, just like we did back then, we need to be there to support Xander and his troops before the fighting gets that far along. We need to make it a more one-sided battle. If there are too many casualties, we may lose our chance."

"So, it all comes down to our success in one battle? Hmph. No pressure."

"We've had worse."

"Not telling me anything I don't already know. I just wish that _one_ time, there could be two equally climactic battles, one of which I'm not responsible for."

"You're a goof, even at a time like this," she said, giggling and giving him a soft jab in the arm.

"Like you're one to talk," he replied with a scoff, "I still see the sparkle in your eyes as you're planning out these battles. You can't ignore your true calling, I guess."

"At this point, my true calling is keeping our kids safe. I think I'm starting to better understand where father was coming from when we had some of those chats."

"Well, as long as you're always around to plan things out, I'll always be around to lead the charge, so, if keeping the kids safe is the name of the game, I'll be the first to draw my sword."

"I know you will. Hey, uh… I love you."

"I love you, too." They shared a kiss. "Now, what's our next move?"

"Still working on that. We have to get to the castle—that's priority number one—but once we get there, I'm not sure about our approach. I'd like to consult with Ryoma and Liam about that. Shigure, too, if he has any insight."

"You think Liam will be helpful in planning for all this? He's a clever kid, but I'm not sure he has the same level of battle strategizing as you."

"True, but he's got a unique take on things. That's what I've seen, anyway. Sometimes, knowing all the rules can get you bogged down in convention, and it takes what may seem like a stupid or foolish idea to get you thinking on the right track."

"How often does that work out?"

"…Not often, but it's worth a shot, given how dire our situation is."

"I guess. Besides, I think you two could use the bonding time."

"Hm? I think we've gotten plenty of bonding time."

"I think your son would beg to differ. All he's known for most of his life is that his mother is a free-spirited adventurer who leaves her family for months at a time to deal with some group he knows nothing about. I heard from Xander what he told Camilla about his first impressions on Kana and her family—suffice it to say, it was less than glowing."

"But… I didn't really… Months?"

"Months. Many times. I know it seems to pass quickly for you, but for a boy his age… months are a long time, Morgan."

"All right. We'll have a talk. Thank you for making me aware."

"Head and heart," he said, smiling at her with his arms folded across his chest, "We're two of a kind."

[…]

"So, has the mutt-turned-traitor come to gloat? Pal around with your new Nohrian buddies as you wait for them to take my head off?" Saizo asked, leering at him.

"Good to see you again, too, Uncle Saizo," Shigure replied.

"You're not my nephew," Saizo told him.

"I wanted to make sure that both you and Asugi were still well. Clearly you're holding up just fine."

"Fine. Are you going to bother me some more, or do your new friends have it covered?"

"Got a lot of lip on you for a guy in chains, don'cha?" Liam added.

"Liam, I'll take care of this, thank you," Shigure said, turning to the blue-haired young man.

"Sure, whatever. Just let me know if he gets on your nerves and I'll be happy to _stonewall_ him for you."

"When I break out of here, I'm killing you first, kid."

"There's _mortar_ me than you know, old timer."

"Now I'm gonna kill you twice."

"Liam, please?" Shigure repeated, arching his eyebrows.

"Right, right." He turned to leave.

"Now, Saizo," Shigure continued, "Or should I say 'Lord Saizo?' That seems too formal."

"Stick to 'Saizo' and get on with it."

"I want to better understand: why did you help Lord Takumi unseat King Ryoma? You were his retainer, weren't you? So, to undermine him like that…"

"I'll always be loyal to Lord Ryoma, but that doesn't mean I have to approve of everything he thinks and does. You didn't get to see Hoshido before the war, so you don't know what kind of slump it's in now. If you did, you'd understand why I determined that Ryoma's leadership wasn't working. I'd still protect the man with my life, but the country needed a change."

"Your admonishment of the ninja Kaze had nothing to do with it, then?"

"Hm?"

"On the day of my father's murder, you decried a man named Kaze who claimed to be your brother—you said he wasn't, that your brother was dead. Was that a part of your reasoning, too?"

"Kaze went the same way you're going now. That means he's no longer my family."

"Do you really feel that way?"

"Does it matter?"

"Very well, I won't pry. But I do want to ask about something else: did Lord Takumi seem… stable to you?"

"'Stable?' What are you getting at?"

"Did he seem irrationally aggravated at times? Sort of not himself?"

"I'm still not sure what you're driving at, but Takumi was a very different guy before you were born, and different still before you first met him. The young Takumi was a lot more subservient. Had a lot of self-doubt, that kid, and getting his ass handed to him in his first attempt at invading Nohr didn't do anything to help his confidence. Still, he was sure Ryoma would save the day and fix everything, make things right, but that never happened. Ryoma came back beaten and bloodied, still leaning on mine and Kagero's shoulders. That was the first thing Takumi saw on the day that we would later learn Hinoka had been killed.

"He spent a few days locked in his room after that, not really speaking to anyone. He had his meals left at his door. He turned around a little when Ryoma started recovering, and when the initial peace talks with Nohr were drawing to a close, he finally decided to tie the knot with Oboro. He told everyone in the castle that he was preparing for a big journey and he couldn't leave anything that important left undone. When all the celebration died down, they packed up and headed out. Takumi said he wanted to learn how to be a better leader, to understand more about his people's struggles. Don't know what all came of that, because he didn't talk much about it when he finally did return, although he did bring some pretty zealous admirers with him. I think that was the first time things seemed… different about him. He'd always been pretty casual before, but he was quiet then, even around his siblings. He didn't want to talk about the trip, or how he was doing, he just asked his family how they were holding up and what the political climate was like before disappearing again. It went on like that for years, before and after you were born.

"After a while, Oboro decided she couldn't keep making the moves back and forth, especially while she was pregnant with Kiragi, so she stayed behind, took up a more permanent position in the castle town, and he kept on meeting with his new friends. That's where he'd come back from on the day the coup happened. As I understand it, the Hoshidans he'd met had become increasingly more certain that Ryoma was too soft on Nohr, and that was the reason all of Hoshido was suffering. I was inclined to agree, so I joined in on his plans for everyone's sake."

Following this explanation, Saizo let out a long sigh and leaned back, shifting his wrists a bit as if he'd just remembered the manacles that were clasped around them.

"I see," Shigure said in monotone, "Well, I respect your commitment to the betterment of Hoshido, Saizo, and I thank you for everything you've told me."

"I don't need your respect, kid. I don't need anybody's approval for what I've done but my own. Even if I die in my sleep tonight, having might throat slit by one of these conniving Nohrians, I'll always know in my heart that what I did was right. Can you say the same?"

"I don't know."

"That's what I thought."

Shigure nodded to the Nohrian soldier standing behind Saizo. As Shigure turned around to leave, the soldier tugged on Saizo's manacled arms and began leading him away. Shigure decided he'd meet with Asugi after he spoke with Kana, hopeful that the younger ninja would be a bit more cooperative.

When he looked up, he saw Kana and Liam chatting back and forth. It must have been a fairly enthralling story, because Kana's eyes were big and shining as she listened to Liam, who was trying to shrug it off as if it weren't a big deal.

"…and so he said he could put the power of the sun into his attacks by breathing a certain way. Sounded like bunk, but… I couldn't deny the results," Liam finished as Shigure approached them.

"I'm not sure I believe that," Kana replied, "but it _does_ sound really amazing."

"Wait until I tell you about the vampires."

"Oh, hey Shigure. How did the meeting go?" Kana asked, lifting her head up to him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt what was obviously such a fascinating tale," he said.

"Nah, 'salright." Liam shrugged. "It's a long story, and I already gave her most of the juicy bits."

"So?" Kana pressed, "What did Saizo have to say?"

"He gave me some valuable information about Lord Takumi, about a long journey he took that seems to confirm some of my earlier theories about what happened to him, although it could just be a coincidence."

"I just don't understand why he joined Takumi. He was Ryoma's retainer, wasn't he? His loyalty is kind of all over the place if that's the case."

"I think our father proved that overreliance on loyalty to one's leaders can lead to disastrous consequences for one's country."

"Still, doesn't give him the right to go about attacking others when the issue could have been settled through some kind of conversation. That's different from what happened with papa—King Garon had gone insane."

"Do you know that?"

"Huh?"

"Do you know King Garon was insane? Maybe he really thought he was doing the right thing for Nohr, even if most of his countrymen seemed to disagree."

"Well, at that point, does it matter? A ruler should be representative of his people's will, or else he's just a despot. There were still plenty of people who were on Ryoma's side."

"So that means he was right?"

"You obviously agreed with him, didn't you, Shigure?"

"I agreed with him to some extent, but I also can't help but see some wisdom in the beliefs of Takumi and his followers. People can be right for the wrong reasons and vice-versa, Kana."

"I don't see how that kind of thinking helps anything. You just get paralyzed in thinking people are a little bit right about everything—that's not important. You've got to be willing to judge in some cases."

"I suppose you're right. Maybe that's where I fall short… why the Yato chose you instead: I can't help but try to see the good in everyone's intentions. That's even why I joined you… Technically, you're my enemy, but I know your ultimate purpose serves an even greater good than defending Hoshido, but so many people will suffer because of what I've chosen."

"Fate has a way of handing us dreadful consequences no matter what we may choose. To try to escape hardship is futile." The children lifted their heads to find Azura walking up to greet both of them.

"So, this pit of doubt that rests in my stomach will never be clear, will it?" Shigure asked her.

"Not likely. But you'll learn to live with it, as I did, and your father did before you. You share his heart, Shigure. I sense it. As do you, Kana. Respect for everything, but an unwavering determination to make one's vision a reality, to make the world better… I feel that power in both of you."

"It's just… difficult to realize there's no path that doesn't end in pain and death," Shigure decided.

"I know," Azura said, nodding slowly and taking her son's hand.


	48. Destiny by Blood

The Great Wall of Suzanoh was one of the oldest structures in Hoshido. Constructed several hundred years ago, it was a feat of engineering that had stood the test of time. Surprisingly few records of its creation survived, but, of course, Nohrians and Hoshidans had competing ideas of why it had been created: Hoshidans naturally assumed it had been built to help blunt Nohrian aggression, while Nohrians continued to argue that there existed anecdotal evidence that the structure was a vanity project gone mad created by Hoshido's greedy merchant class before a bloody revolt, and that the inner workings of the structure were laden with the corpses of its builders.

Now, Prince Kiragi stood atop the wall with his mother and watched the black mass of the Nohrian army slowly wind up the path toward the bridge across the moat that surrounded the wall.

Oboro patted her son on the back. "Are you all right, honey? Keep your head up, okay?"

"Okay," he answered.

"Hey, come on." She moved on to rubbing his shoulder. "Don't be so dour. You're always so happy, won't you give your mom a big smile?"

He found that very difficult to do, knowing what lie ahead, but when he looked at his mother, he realized this was less of a gentle request and more of a disguised plea. He did his best to arch his cheeks up into a smile, and his mother nodded gratefully.

Down at the gates of the wall, a brown-haired samurai stood beside his cerulean-haired son. "Now, Hisame, I want ya to understand something important…"

"We have to protect Prince Kiragi at all costs," the boy said, "I know, father."

"Right, but—"

"Even to the death. I'm aware and fully prepared."

"I was gonna say that I want you to know your mother and I love you. Ya know, just in case…" Hinata, swung his katana in the air vaguely to avoid completing the sentence.

Hisame's eyes widened a little, but he stayed silent and nodded at his father.

Behind the wall, another son stood by his mother—a samurai and a ninja were surrounded by numerous guards, waiting in the center of the room for their chance to strike. The son was gripping his father's katana tightly. "I can't believe it's really gotten this bad," he said, "Those Nohrians… why couldn't they just leave us alone? And who knows what they've done to Aunt Sakura by now…"

"We can't afford to dwell on it, Shiro," Kagero told him, "Just stay calm. There will be ample opportunity to satisfy your desire for vengeance, but you must be intelligent about it."

"Right," he murmured, feeling sparks dance along the blade as he clenched it tighter.

Siegbert rode out on the front of Nohr's advancing lines with his father. They had been staring straight ahead at the horizon for most of the journey, but now, suddenly and without warning, Xander turned his head to face his son. "You performed well against Princess Sakura," he said, "and you led well, too. I'm proud of how much you've grown in such a short time, Siegbert."

"I merely did what I felt was necessary to protect the lives of my comrades," his son replied, "but I thank you, father."

"An attitude like that will take you far," Xander said, smiling, "but don't be afraid to take a little pride in your achievement, too."

"Make 'em remember how you saved their asses next time they get uppity, in other words," Charlotte added from behind them. Xander screwed up his face to say something, but he let it pass.

"That's an interesting suggestion, mother," Siegbert told her, "thank you."

"We'll be nearing the wall in just a moment," Xander announced, "Leo, any last-minute suggestions?"

The prince grabbed his chin in thought and listed off: "Don't get isolated in enclosed spaces. Try not to overcrowd the bridge. Be wary of projectiles from above, especially ballistae. Remember that it's very likely that another member of Hoshidan royalty will lead this garrison, although taking him or her out may not result in a quick victory like last time."

"Duly noted," Xander nodded to him, "Now, eyes front—it looks like they're readying their weapons.

As they drew closer, the Nohrian army could see the full extent of what was on display from the Hoshidans: archers and snipers lined the top of the walls with bows ready. They were joined by various mages and onmyoji who also had their scrolls in hand. Below, samurai, spear fighters, and oni warriors toted their weapons menacingly at the approaching Nohrians. Two particularly decorated samurai stood on the edge of the bridge over the wall's moat and were surrounded by heavier guards. Several pegasi could also be heard flapping above the group.

As he approached, Xander called out, "Hoshidans—I issue you this final warning: we are, at this point, only interested in avenging the murder of Lord Corrin of Nohr. If you will present us with Prince Takumi, we will leave your lands at once and attack you no further."

"We can't agree to those terms," a young man's voice came back at Xander, "Or, I mean, we won't. Prince Takumi is my father, sir. I'm Prince Kiragi of Hoshido, and I've been, uh… dedicated? No, _designated_ to lead this defense of our capital. If you want to take Hoshido, you have to get through me, a-all right?"

"Then you have my pity, Prince Kiragi," Xander said, "Cavaliers, advance when ready!"

At his command, a few hundred horses rode forward, carrying riders with lances and swords posed to strike the enemy. Moments later, a hail of arrows flew over the side of the wall and began impaling the riders, throwing them from their steeds.

"Armored division, advance!" Xander commanded. Knights in heavy armor began to slowly follow after the charging riders. "Mages, see what you can do about lightening that arrow rain!"

With some rallying from Leo, the mages turned their tomes to the sky and shot bursts of flame and lightning to singe the arrow shafts into tinder and send them floating harmlessly to the ground.

"Camilla," Xander called her, "Keep your division waiting until we can start retaliating against those archers."

"We'll be ready," she said, "just don't keep us waiting too long."

Soon enough, the cavaliers had reached the bridge, but they were quickly encircled by the many soldiers stationed there to stop their approach. The fighting broke up their orderly ranks and descended into a squabbling mass before the bridge as small volleys of arrows still made it through the mages' countermeasures and struck small numbers of them down, although the broad strikes also managed to catch some Hoshidans, too. Silas and Sophie had breached through the fighting mass to stand on the edge of the bridge, opposite Hinata and Hisame.

"Haven't I seen you before?" Hinata asked Silas as they approached, "Hair that wacky, I don't think I'd ever forget."

"You do seem familiar," Silas answered, "What with that topknot and all. But I've been a knight of Nohr all my life, so I don't know where our paths would've crossed."

"Wait, now I remember!" Hinata started, gripping his weapon tighter, "You were there at the invasion, when Lord Takumi was injured! You were with that Lord Corrin… that means you gotta pay. I'm a retainer to Lord Takumi, y'see."

"Whatever you say. I'm not just going to roll over, though," Silas told him, "I have people of my own to protect."

"You're not getting across this bridge, period. Come and get me!"

Silas pursued the taunt and rushed at the samurai, lance drawn, and Sohpie rode up close behind him. Hinata and Hisame both managed to dodge their attackers before they drew too close. With a wild grin, Hinata took an extra step and snagged the edge of Silas's saddle, allowing him to climb up onto the horse's back and place the knight atop it in a chokehold. With his enemy thus subdued, Hinata fished for his katana, although he was repeatedly elbowed in the ribs and stomach by Silas. Just as he found his weapon, he heard Silas inhale sharply and watched the back of the knight's head rush up to meet him with a sickening crack. They both fell to the ground, and Hinata felt hot liquid pour out onto his face.

"Just stay still!" Sophie growled as she tried to thrust her lance at the samurai below her. Unfortunately, he was too quick, and continued to effortlessly hop out of the weapon's range.

"So temperamental," Hisame scoffed, "This is why you Nohrians will never win—you've got no discipline!"

She tried a few more attacks, but all of them failed just as easily. The samurai simply seemed too fast.

Above, they heard another volley of arrows fly their way, and units on both sides encouraged their peers to guard themselves. Sophie looked down at Hisame, who was doubling back closer to the wall, and charged at him. "Oh no you don't!" she shouted, leading her horse around in front of him to block his escape. He skidded to a halt and looked to each side in panic. When Sophie thrusted her lance at him again, he hopped back, closing his eyes, and was sent spiraling to the ground when a pair of arrows embedded themselves in him—one in his stomach, and the other in his left arm.

Silas had managed to flatten Hinata out on his back, and he now delivered a right hook to the samurai's jaw, making him spit blood into the grass. To retaliate, Hinata reached out and grabbed Silas's neck. He began squeezing as tightly as he could, fingers sinking into the knight's skin. Silas tried to pry him off, but the samurai's grip was too powerful for Silas's fatigued arms to remove. He was only suddenly given relief when he heard boots rushing over to him and a loud cry, followed by a flash of metal. Hinata shouted as the fingers from his bloodied arm drooped and fell, as did the arm, a few inches away from the rest of his body.

Silas looked up to see his daughter wide-eyed and panting. "I'm… I'm sorry," she wheezed, "I just… I thought you were going to… and I had to…"

"You did what you were supposed to do, Sophie," Silas said, grabbing her arm, "Now, come on, we have to make sure the bridge stays clear for the rest of the troops.

Hinata couldn't help but continue crying out as he grasped desperately at his arm until he heard another volley of arrows streak across the sky. He felt cold as he watched dark metal fly down toward him.

[…]

"Uh, mom?" Liam called to her, tugging on the sleeve of her long coat, "You wanted to see me?"

"Oh, there's my strapping young lad," she said, grinning at him and pulling him into a hug, "C'mere, you."

"Please don't call me that," he managed to choke out. "Now, what's this about? Weren't you the one who said we needed to get our rears in gear to put a stop to all this?"

"Yeah, but family's important, too," Morgan answered, "And your dad tells me you were getting into some trouble back at home."

"So you're just gonna scold me for it now? That's quite a sense of timing you've got," said the blue-haired boy, folding his arms.

"No, honey." She hugged him again, this time more softly. "I want to apologize to you."

"Apologize?"

"Yes. I didn't realize how much my being away had affected you. You've never been a bad kid—maybe a little opinionated, but you've never gone out of your way to hurt anyone, and I don't want that to change."

"You sayin' you think I'm turning into a criminal? Wouldn't bet on it—you're not as important as you think."

"No, that's not it. I mean… I want you to understand that I realize I should have been there to support you more often. Because I wasn't, you've gotten into some things I don't exactly approve of—gambling, for one—but it's my fault for not being there to tell you why you should avoid them, and I want to make that better."

"I'm not hearing anything different from what I just said. I've got no moral compass 'cause you weren't around? I think I've made it perfectly clear I don't need you to be happy, just like you made it perfectly clear that you're happier without us."

Morgan started. "W-What gave you the impression…?"

"It must've been a lot of fun for you, running around as an 'adventurer' while the rest of us stayed at home and figured out what to do by ourselves. Some of us liked to go visit inns and chat up ladies, some of us were so popular, we went out with some of the local kids every night, and then… and then there were others."

"Liam…"

"But it was fine. I learned to like it better that way. No one scolds or makes fun of you in an empty house. I never begrudged anyone their fun, I just had to find my own."

"Empty house? But your father wasn't out all the time, was he?"

"No, but… even when he was home, it was like he carried everywhere else with him, you know? He'd tell all these great stories about his mom and her journeys and his dad's noble deeds, and then, suddenly, Soleil would come back and it'd be time for dinner and bed just after. I couldn't exactly follow any of that up with what book I read that day."

Morgan frowned at her son. "I'm sorry, honey. I had no idea you felt this way."

"Of course you didn't. You were too busy being special, just like dad and Soleil."

"Hm? Special? You don't think you're special?"

"I'm not. I'm just an unpopular low-born kid born to parents with amazing exploits in their past."

"I want to show you something, Liam," Morgan said, rolling up her left sleeve to reveal an intricate purple mark on her hand—it was a design featuring six interwoven eyes. "Now, you know you have this same mark near your shoulder, right?"

"Yeah…" he touched the spot instinctively.

"That's because it's a birthmark—a very special birthmark that tells people you come from an important family. A family with the power to change fate."

"Change… fate? What are you on about now?"

"In brief, this mark used to represent a villainous and wicked house. It was basically the sign of being chosen by all the wrong people. If you had grown up in the same world as I had, there might have even been people who hated you for having this mark, Liam. I know there were people who took issue with me. But despite that, your grandfather decided he didn't like representing those people, and so, against the wishes of destiny itself, he rejected the one who gave him this mark."

"So, your takeaway from all that was that I wanted another story about how great your dad was?"

"I'm telling you only because it means that you can do the same, Liam. You're not stuck with any life—you can be whoever you choose to be. I guess I let some of that free-spirited thinking overtake me, but it's important that you know that you can do anything, too."

Liam's eyes softened for a moment, but then he turned away from his mother. "It's easy for you to say that, I'm not as—"

"Yes, you are, Liam," Morgan insisted, shaking his shoulders, "you're my son, and you've grown up to be such a fine young man. I'm so proud of you, and I deeply regret not getting to see more of your youth. I screwed up my priorities because I was still young, myself. And now I'm asking for your forgiveness. Will you at least let me _start_ being your mom?"

He shut his eyes and balled his fists. "You were _always_ my mom, that's why I wanted to see you! Knock it off with all this crap!"

"Huh?"

"A lot of the time, when I was alone, I thought about how you used to just sit and read with your dad… Something like that would have been good enough for me. I just wanted someone else to… I don't know…"

Morgan reached over and stroked a tear off her son's cheek. "Hm. So the boy does have feelings after all."

"Mom…!" He frowned at her.

"Tell you what: I've got this old book full of 'impossible' battle scenarios. They're supposed to challenge you to think outside of your own head, in a way. I started solving them with my dad, but I never managed to finish it before I left him. Want to take a crack at it together?"

"I… I'm not really a strategist like you, though…"

"Not in the same way, but you _are_ pretty clever. You're better at planning on a micro level, where I was taught about the macro. If we put our heads together, who knows what we can accomplish."

"All right, fine. It's going to be tricky reading over your shoulder while we're walking, though."

"Good point," the redhead said, nodding. She pulled her son over and wrapped him in her arms, saying, "We'll just have to stay really close and read it like this."

Liam mouthed something. Morgan didn't bother asking what it was.

[…]

Siegbert unsheathed his blade as he stood across from the brown-haired young man on the other side of the room. The young man was attired in red armor, and though he hadn't known him for long, Siegbert recognized his fierce expression—the armor was simply an extra clue to the position the two of them were now in. Prince Shiro of Hoshido drew Raijinto out of its sheathe and held it threateningly, pointing it toward his enemy. "Crown Prince Siegbert of Nohr… that's what I'm supposed to call you, right?"

"There's no need for titles, if you would rather dispense with them, Prince Shiro," Siegbert answered.

"Not using your title would imply I respect or care about you," the prince said, "You were a guest in the castle once, but now you have to die. I'm gonna make you suffer for what you did to my old man, to my Aunt Sakura… for everything you Nohrians have _ever_ done—I'll be the one to put all your schemes in the ground! I want a duel—no interference, just me and the crown prince! No one's getting in my way!"

"Shiro, that would be imprudent," his mother told him, "We can't rely on Nohrians to avoid using underhanded methods—it's simply in their nature."

"I don't take kindly to you talking about my son like that," Charlotte shouted across the room, stepping up and cracking her knuckles, "I couldn't care less what you say about me, but disrespect my dear Siegbert, or try to break the rules and hurt him, and I'll rearrange your face feature by feature."

"You see?" Kagero said, raising her eyebrows, "Even their queens are mad beasts."

Charlotte growled. "Take one step closer and I'll show _you_ a mad beast, you stuck-up-!"

"Mother, enough," Siegbert said, holding her back with one arm, "You shall have your duel, Prince Shiro. Should I attempt anything dishonorable, you may strike me down; I will not ask my guards to protect me."

"Good, you finally got some nerve," Shiro said, smirking at him, "I might actually enjoy this a little, then!"

Without another word, the samurai charged at Siegbert. Their blades met, scattering sparks throughout the air. Shiro's superior strength shone through, and Raijinto burned hot with the electricity jumping through it, so intensely, in fact, that it began to melt a divot into Siegbert's own blade. Siegbert backed off, but before he could get far, Shiro was upon him again, striking him left and right, leaving Siegbert barely enough time to put his blade in front of the attacks. His guard was weak and uncoordinated, allowing Shiro's repeated white-hot strikes to sear into his armor and begin cutting and burning his flesh.

With a loud shout, Shiro finished another such attack by ramming his foot into the section of Siegbert's stomach left exposed by his armor, causing the Nohrian prince to collapse to the ground and vomit a bit.

"Siegbert!" Charlotte called after him. Her eyes stabbed into Kagero. "What the hell was that?! Is that what Hoshidans consider 'honorable?!'"

"Mother," Siegbert heaved, pushing himself up on his hands and knees, "He backed away after that attack. It wasn't to kill—it was to intimidate. Prince Shiro is within his rights."

"Don't get too cozy," said Shiro, "Next one's comin' for your head!"

"I have a question, Prince Shiro," Siegbert announced.

Shiro continued his pattern of quick, light attacks that dug into the Nohrian prince's defenses. "Shut up," he commanded.

"Why do you fight for Prince Takumi even now?" Siegbert asked anyway, "He was the one who deposed your father."

"Are you _that_ dense?" Shiro shouted, drawing a thick spray of blood from the prince's arm and making him recoil in pain. "I'm not fighting for Takumi!" Shiro told him, "I'm fighting for my father. Everything that's happened to him and our family… every harm we've suffered… everything he went through—it's all been Nohr's fault! The world would be a better place if you bastards stopped existing!"

"I see," Siegbert said, frowning, "So, there's really no hope of calming you down. You truly aim for this to be a fight to the finish, don't you?"

"Could I have _been_ clearer about that?"

"Sometimes people say things that aren't the truth as spoken by their heart, Prince Shiro."

"Well, great. That's really nice. It'll make for a good epitaph, I imagine!" The samurai rushed at the Nohrian prince again.

On the top of the wall, as if reflected by a vast pond, a similar scene had developed beyond the reach of those still squabbling inside. Kiragi stood beside his mother, training his bow on a redheaded boy sporting a pink beret. Oboro spoke up first: "So, this is the best Nohr had to offer to take us out, huh? Where's your daddy, kid?"

"My father, as well as my aunt and uncle, are busy bolstering the rest of our ranks. I was assigned to disrupt their chain of command by coming up here and taking care of you two," Forrest answered, "and that's what I'm going to do."

"Sure they didn't just send you up here as fodder to save their skins for a while?" Oboro pressed.

"Gawds, do you ever stop yapping?" Selena interjected, rolling her eyes, "Are we going to stand up here all day, or are we actually going to fight? This wind is murder on my hair."

"You asked for it," Oboro said through her teeth, scowling a terrible scowl, "Your end has come, Nohrian scum!"

She lunged at Selena, who blunted the attack and followed up with a swing of her own that was accordingly blocked by Oboro's quick reaction.

"Sorry to have to do this, Forrest," Kiragi said, loosing one of his arrows. Forrest ducked it.

"If you're that sorry, you shouldn't be fighting in the first place," said Nohr's youngest prince.

"You know that's not an option for me," Kiragi groaned, "If it was your dad, you'd understand."

"Oh, I understand perfectly," said Forrest, "but we're still enemies."

"I know," Kiragi finished with a dejected sigh. He shot another arrow that pierced Forrest's side, making him clutch the wound. "Before we finish this, I wanted to tell you, I like your hat, Forrest. I was hoping you could make me one someday, maybe in green, or something."

"I would love to!" Forrest shouted, throwing a bolt of lightning that knocked Kiragi off his feet, "But I don't think that's likely to happen anytime soon."

"All this fighting is really dumb, huh?" Kiragi shot at Forrest again. This time, it dug into his leg.

"Indeed, but it's mandated by our position." Forrest stretched his arm out and engulfed his target in flames. Kiragi jumped out of the ring of fire brushing himself off.

"Hey, Forrest!" his mother shouted, "Get serious! We have to win, here! I am _not_ going to tolerate any slacking, do you hear me?!"

"Quiet, you!" Oboro jabbed her naginata at her enemy, cutting her cheek. "Don't go cheering like this is some team sport—that's your son, isn't it? He's risking his life! Both of our sons are!"

"Well, maybe _yours_ is," Selena replied, smirking, "but there's no way he can beat my Forrest."

"You know what? Forget it," Oboro sighed, rushing her again.

"I don't care much for these drawn-out battles," Forrest told his opponent, "Kiragi, what do you say we finish this in one blow?"

"Anything to get it over with faster," Kiragi answered, nodding. The pair lifted their weapons and took aim.

Downstairs, the other battle was also reaching its conclusion: Shiro had continued backing up and cutting away at Siegbert for several minutes more. Siegbert had just doubled back to put distance between them again.

"Siegbert, this can't go on!" his mother cried, "You have to try something else, or you won't survive this fight!"

"I've already done everything I needed to, mother," Siegbert told her, "I knew what I needed to do once I learned that Prince Shiro wouldn't give up on this folly."

"Are you done talking yet?" Shiro asked between panting breaths, "I'm gonna cut to the chase and end you now that you're weak!"

That said, the Hoshidan prince ran at his enemy as fast as his legs would carry him and placed the full force of his arms and legs into his attack. He noticed that Siegbert's blade was moving the wrong way and grinned, knowing his speed had given him the chance to land the killing blow. He felt Raijinto connect into the prince's torso and kept pushing as it seared past his ribs, but then he was shocked to find the strength leaving his arms. He looked to his left and realized that Siegbert had not been incorrectly guarding—he had been preparing for an attack of his own.

"You were tired," Siegbert told Shiro, "and moving much slower than you thought. I still couldn't match you for speed at long distance, but here, up close… I had a small window, and I took it."

"You… you bastard!" Shiro grunted.

"As the sons of the kings of our nations, are destinies are entwined, Prince Shiro!" Siegbert told him, "If you won't stop until one of us falls, then the only option is for both of us to fall!"

"You're… you're crazy!"

"We'll end this battle bound together by the threads of fate—there is no other way! Victory…" Siegbert's voice wavered and his eyes began to shut. "Victory at any cost… that is the measure of success for a king of Nohr!"

Above them, a raucous bolt of lightning illuminated and scorched the top of the Great Wall. In the ashes that fell after it struck, two bodies collapsed, one burned thoroughly, and the other with an arrow embedded in his chest.

Over faraway hills, a pair of golden eyes watched the flash burn away, and the body they belonged to shuddered with fear. "Are we… too late?" she stammered.


	49. Coalescence

Xander stared at the cot, trying not to look up at the closed eyes resting on the pillow at its top. His fist was curled into a tight ball. He looked over at the cleric who was standing beside him. "Is he…?" he managed to say before his words caught in his throat.

"He'll live, Your Highness," the cleric answered, "He's been wounded deeply, but he hasn't yet lost a fatal amount of blood. Now that the wound has been patched up, he should recover after some rest. Of course, he'll be unable to participate in battle for quite some time, however."

"Thank you. You did well," Xander told the cleric, not taking his eyes off his son, "Would it be possible to speak to him privately for a moment?"

"Of course," the cleric said, nodding, "but it _is_ important that I keep observing him closely."

"It'll take just a few seconds," Xander said.

The cleric pulled away the tent flap and stepped outside.

Xander put his hand over Siegbert's arm and squeezed it. He let out a long sigh as he looked over his son's unconscious form. "I'm sorry to have forced you into all this, Siegbert," Xander told the empty room, "I wanted you to prepare for a life of leadership, but this isn't what I had in mind for you. In the moment I declared this war, I thought only of avenging my brother, and I never considered that you'd be so dutiful and so well prepared that you'd be willing to do something like this. I know you've always felt anxious about how you'd be able to follow in my footsteps, son, but the fact is that you've already surpassed me a hundred-fold. You're a natural leader, more so than you know, you're strong and compassionate, and, more than anything, you'd do whatever it takes to protect Nohr—even give your very life. That's not the kind of dedication that can be found in any average soul. You and your cousin are more than worthy successors to your titles."

The room stayed quiet. Xander's hand slowly trailed up to the boy's face, and he stroked his cheek. It was strikingly soft against the sharpness of his knuckles.

"But, if you'll let me be selfish, I don't want to think of you as Nohr's next king right now. I want to hear from my son. The bright-eyed boy who spent all day helping his mother plant flowers in the garden and write letters to her parents, then came into my chambers and offered to read _me_ to sleep. The boy who forced his cousins to hug until they stopped fighting. The boy who made the old and ailing servants tea in the morning. Watching you grow has been the greatest journey of my life. And I don't ever want it to end."

Xander grabbed his son's hand and squeezed it, then turned and exited the tent, letting the cleric hurriedly rush back in. He would move down the line and visit Leo and Forrest next. And then he would personally strangle the life out of the craven Takumi.

[…]

"So…" Elise hummed as she looked up at the tower, "That's Castle Shirasagi, is it?"

"Yes," Shigure said flatly.

"I spent many a happy day inside that castle. So many images from within its walls create a warm stirring in my heart," Azura added, "and yet, seeing it now… it's as if it's bathed in a completely different light. It seems… grayer, somehow."

Kana stared at the structure, letting her eyes slide all the way from the base of the tower to its roof. The air around them was static. She shuddered suddenly, unaware of where the chill had come from.

"Kana." She heard her brother's voice from behind her. "Are you frightened?"

"Frightened? N-No. We're going to go in there and end all this, and avenge papa, right? That's what we're going to do. We'll save everyone."

"It's all right, Kana. I'm nervous too. I've scarcely understood anything that's happened since this whole sordid affair began, but I know that it's now coming to a head. Anyone can feel that in their heart right now. You don't have to not be afraid, but you do have to be ready to face it. We won't win unless we can be sure enough of ourselves to do whatever we have to."

"It sounds really natural coming from you, Shigure. But I'm not like you and papa—I can't stand up here and tell everyone that we'll win before charging over the hill, hoisting my sword over my head. I'm not sure if I'm ready…"

"You'll recall, dear sister, that the Yato chose you. We share the same blood, and yet our father's weapon denied my hand and clung to yours. Why do you suppose that might be?"

"Huh? You don't really think it 'chose' me, do you? It's not sentient. I must've just been closer, or something."

"No, Kana. It's because on that day you showed just the opposite of what you're showing now: conviction. A desire to do what is right regardless of what obstacles get in your way. You were even willing to clash blades with your own brother for the sake of your father's and your family's lives—that's something our father had to endure, too. It's no wonder the Yato sided with you."

"But… in the end, you did the same. Even if it was for a different reason, you stayed true to your allies. Why don't you deserve it?"

"If I'm being truthful… back then, I didn't side with the other Hoshidans because I was confident, Kana. I did it because I was scared. I knew about my mixed heritage all my life, and I saw the strange looks people would give me, even as a mere child. I wanted to hear you out, but I thought that if I did, I might end up losing everyone dear to me, and so I fell back on what I knew to protect myself from a dangerous truth."

"I still don't think I'm as important as everyone makes me out to be. I just did what I thought I had to. I never would've even gotten this far without everyone's support."

"Who said you had to? When our father reclaimed Nohr from King Garon, he didn't do so as one man, did he?"

"No, he had a whole heap of the Nohrian army behind him."

"Exactly. And look at you, Kana: you might've needed an army to make it this far, but you can bet I wouldn't be standing among you if I hadn't spoken to you long enough for you to make me doubt things."

"And had Shigure not come along, I wouldn't have had the courage to enter Shotenmachi," Ryoma added.

"Being able to wield that sword is more important than you think, too," Morgan told her, "If you didn't have it, even the best strategy in the world would land us up a creek."

"So, you see," Shigure continued, "as much as you may doubt it, you've an uncanny ability to bring people together and make them see things your way, little sister."

"It's the power to make fate shape to your will," her mother contributed, "the same power that your father showed me, that allowed me to hope again. Our once bright dawn faded into a new long night that stretched its way across the clouds for what seemed to be ages, blocking light from reaching the land, but now the moon is once again burning its way through those clouds. Do you understand what I'm saying, dear?"

"Not really," the aqua-haired girl admitted, "You're always kinda talking so loftily that it's hard to understand you, mom."

Azura giggled. "Then let me put it this way: I believe in you, Kana. I think if your papa were here, he'd say the same thing. He'd want you to press on and do everything you can to protect the people you care about."

"I guess if you think so," Kana said, nodding and giving her mother a faint smile, "You're never wrong."

"Not about you, at least," she replied.

"Now, I'd hate to break up the little family love circle, here," Liam interjected, arms folded, "but we're gonna need a lot more than encouragement to bust down that wall. Plus, I dunno if _you_ guys saw that bolt of lightning, but something tells me we'd better get going sooner rather than later."

"Liam, don't be rude!" Soleil shushed him.

"No, he's quite right," said Azura, "If you're all set, Kana, we should turn our attention toward planning for this assault."

"Yeah." Kana nodded and exhaled sharply. "I'm all set, let's do it."

"So, uh, mom?" Liam asked, turning to face her, "Whaddya got?"

"Well," Morgan let out, lingering to think, "Xander's got a lot of people behind him—at least, I assume he does, and that they weren't hit too hard by the defense at the Great Wall. In that case, Takumi was smart enough to secure himself one last advantage: going indoors means Xander's troops will be funneled and easier to pick off, turning his biggest advantage into, at best, a considerable drawback."

"Not to mention, that Takumi's an archer, isn't he?" Liam added, "He's probably got some guys he trained with… wouldn't be surprised if there were a buncha snipers right near the door."

"Good thinking, honey," Morgan said, nodding at him, "Looks like you're already starting to expand your horizons."

"Anyone coulda guessed that," he said, folding his arms.

"Either way," Morgan continued, "the point remains that we need some way of getting into the building that doesn't force us to fall into the same pits."

"Ooh! I have an idea!" Soleil shouted, jumping.

"Really?" Morgan raised her eyebrows. "Well, don't keep us in suspense, sweetie: what're you thinking?"

"Okay, so, like, you're super good at magic, right, mom?"

"I guess I dabble."

"And Lady Elise and Lord Odin are super good too, right?"

"I'm pretty good with a tome, sure," Elise agreed.

"Do not insult me, child wreathed in ruby!" Odin shouted, "'Super good' fails to even paw at the feet of the infinitesimal superiority of my arcane abilities!"

Soleil blinked. "I thought so. So, here's the idea: why don't we just blow it up?"

"Uh, 'blow it up?'" Morgan repeated, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah! If we're worried about not being funneled into close quarters, why don't we just make the quarters bigger?"

Her father patted her on the back. "Honey, I'm not sure if that's the best—"

"Actually, I don't hate it," Liam said, smiling at his sister, "For once, I think she's got the right idea."

"R-Really?" Soleil beamed, "I mean, uh, of course I do!"

"It's not a _bad_ suggestion," Morgan said, stroking her chin.

"No time like the present, right?" Liam pressed, "C'mon, I think it'll work. Let's just do it, huh?"

"I suppose I don't really have anything better," the redheaded tactician decided, "All right. Elise, Odin, bring the rest of our best mages to the front and we'll blow a hole in the wall of Castle Shirasagi. Heh, sounds kinda crazy saying it out loud like that. Reminds me of one of dad's plans."

[…]

Oboro stumbled into the castle and started dragging herself along the floor, pulling her son by her other hand. As she looked up, her face smudged with ash and dirt, she saw her husband slowly put away his bow and stare at her scrupulously, a scowl on his face. "Takumi…" she groaned, reaching out to him.

"So, they overran the wall, did they?" Takumi surmised, "Damn. They'll be here any minute, then."

Oboro's arms shook. She shouted at him, "Is that all you care about?! Look at Kiragi! Look at your son! He nearly died! If I hadn't rushed him to a priestess, he might have… and that Nohrian woman… she saw me, but she just let me get away. That was her son, too…"

"Do I hear you sympathizing with the enemy?" Takumi asked, glaring at her.

"Are you… That's it! I can't take this anymore!" Oboro cried, "Whoever you are, you aren't the man I married. I want some medical attention for my son and I want to stay far away from you!"

"I don't have time for this," was Takumi's reply. He snapped his fingers and, at once, a pair of Hoshidan guards picked Oboro up by her arms and led her away from the hall. A third guard scooped up the barely conscious Kiragi and took him into a nearby room. Oboro shouted more and begged for her husband to come to his senses, but his face didn't change. He watched her be taken and sighed when it was done. "Now, don't let me catch any of the rest of you harboring any thoughts of insubordination," he announced to the remaining soldiers in the room, "This is the very last battle for Hoshido. If we fail here, our whole nation is doomed, so none of you are leaving this castle alive unless we win, am I understood?"

There was a general murmur of approval.

"Good."

The ensuing minutes of silence passed on torturously long, and still enough that any change in a man's breathing was perceptible. Takumi had his bow loaded and ready, and he held the string taut near his face as he waited for the inevitable moment when the door would swing open and his enemy would reveal themselves.

Despite his preparation, it still managed to come sooner than he had expected. The heavy doors of the castle were shoved open and crashed into the walls behind them as an echoing mass of Nohrian soldiers stormed into the building. Xander's golden hair and spiked crown stood out among the mob, and his eyes burned as he looked toward the front of the room. "Where is he?!" Xander demanded, "Where is Takumi?!"

"I'm right here, Nohrian filth!" Takumi responded, loosing a bolt from his bow at the king. Xander might have been in considerable danger had not the bolt been deflected by a strike of lightning magic from Leo.

The rest of the king's men were less fortunate, however: the dozens of archers lined up in the room began firing repeatedly into the crowd and quickly felling line after line of the unaware troops who had entered in advance of Xander. The king himself grit his teeth upon seeing his men mowed down, and he spurred his steed toward the front of the room, leveling Siegfried at Takumi.

"Brother!" Leo shouted after him, "Don't! Attacking him head-on is suicide!"

For once, Xander had no interest in listening to his brother's counsel, and he went on charging thunderously toward Takumi, who coolly reloaded and prepared to fire another bolt at the king's head. Before he could, however, Xander was knocked from his mount by three arrows striking on either side of his flank. He stood again, however, despite the blood loss, and went on charging at Takumi, shouting an incoherent war cry.

Takumi tried not to seem distressed as the king approached, knowing that his foe could easily be taken down by one of his fellow archers, but the speed and ferocity with which Xander approached were adequate to make any man fear for his life. Takumi braced himself, only to hear not the sound of metal piercing flesh, but a massive explosion that shook the whole castle, sending debris and dust all throughout the air. When he could bring himself to uncover and open his eyes, he found a wall of yet more Nohrians marching in through the demolished wall. At the front of this new group there stood a boy and a girl with matching aqua hair.

"Uncle Xander, please wait!" he heard the girl shout, and watched as she stretched out her hand.

Xander turned his dirtied face to his advancing allies. "K-Kana?"

"Yes, uncle," she answered, "You can't kill Lord Takumi—not yet. Not until you all understand what's really going on here!"

"What's really…? Kana, you aren't making sense," Xander told her.

"Just wait," she insisted. "Kiragi, are you in here? What about Shiro? If you're here, speak up!"

Kiragi said nothing, but crawled out of the room in which he had been placed to watch the girl who had summoned him. She noticed him out of the corner of her eye and nodded appreciatively.

"Shiro…" Xander breathed, "That's the name of the boy Siegbert was fighting. We captured him—he was of significance to Hoshido, wasn't he? Bring him out here!"

The Nohrians behind Xander did as they were told and brought a bloodied, grimacing Shiro into the chamber to witness whatever it was Kana had in mind.

"The hell is this?" he demanded, slurring through the blood in his mouth, "You want me to watch while you execute him, you sickos?"

"No, Shiro. We want you to see the truth." The Hoshidan prince turned his head toward the voice, because hearing it was impossible. His eyes, weighted though they felt, sprang open when he saw his father emerging from among the Nohrians.

"D-Dad?" he stammered.

"You've been lied to, Shiro. You and all of the Hoshidans in this room. King Xander, is my sister also among you?"

Xander spared himself the pain of speaking and simply nodded at his men again, who promptly brought Sakura into the room.

"Ryoma, you made it," she said weakly, "I'm sorry, I didn't do very well protecting our home…"

"You did admirably, Sakura," Ryoma corrected her, "Better than any of us could have ever hoped. Now you're about to see the whole truth."

Sakura watched attentively as Kana and Shigure marched forward—so attentively, in fact, that for a moment, she missed the Nohrians leading Saizo and Asugi over to her. When she spotted them, she squealed and began sobbing. Saizo said nothing, but Asugi leaned into his mother and tried to hold himself back from mirroring her.

"What are you Nohrian rats trying to pull?" Takumi shouted at the newcomers, "And what are you layabouts doing? Shoot them!"

"I wouldn't do that," Liam called out to them, "Not unless you're not feeling particularly attached to your skin. We got about a hundred mages here just itching to toss some fire and lightning at anybody who gets jumpy."

Takumi narrowed his eyes on Shigure. "You… I always knew you'd turn traitor. You sold out your family, just like your worthless father. How does that fell, scum? Are you pleased with yourself?"

"Now, let's not mince words here, 'Lord Takumi,'" Shigure returned his glare, "I'm not stupid, and neither are you. We both know what's happening here, don't we?"

Oboro managed to wrest herself away from the grip of the guards holding her long enough to get in view of the action.

Azura came forward, standing between her children, and locked eyes with Takumi.

"Ah, now here's the real crowning moment," he laughed, "The Princess of Traitors, I guess we could call you. Did you enjoy the loving embrace of the man who bloodied his hands with the bodies of his family?"

"That's enough out of you," she said.

"Oh, feeling big now that you have an army, huh? You're real—"

"Fall silent, wretch."

" _Excuse me_?!"

"You're not Takumi. You're nothing close to the man Takumi was. Prince Takumi was a man of character, compassion, and remorse. Prince Takumi cried when he thought his brother had abandoned him. Prince Takumi fell in love with the woman who cared for him passionately all his life. Prince Takumi was a relatable and amicable man to all those his family ruled over. You are a cold, despicable shell, parading around as someone you could never hope to be, lashing out and spreading hatred. And you've kept me quiet for too long. So now, I want _you_ to feel what it's like to be silent and hopeless."

"What?"

Shigure and Kana followed her as she walked up toward Takumi.

He looked around feverishly, "What are you idiots doing? One of you, make yourselves useful and shoot this witch!"

The men either stared at their lord or looked hesitantly at the Nohrians behind them.

"Do something, dammit—agh!" Takumi was cut off when Shigure punched him in the throat. His hands grasped at the red mark as he choked. In that moment, Azura reached forward and caught hold of his eyepatch, ripping it off as the line tying it to his face snapped behind his head. Behind the eyepatch was a perfectly formed eye that looked over at Azura when the cloth was removed. It seemed blood-red.

Some of the Hoshidans and Nohrians who understood the implication of that revelation gasped. For those who were unaware, Azura proceeded: "Prince Takumi of Hoshido was routed in an attempted invasion of Nohr almost twenty years ago by none other than Lord Corrin. In that battle, in which I and Lords Xander and Leo took part, the Lord Corrin struck out Prince Takumi's left eye. You, however, have a perfectly functioning left eye. Even the finest magic in the world can't replace destroyed organs like that, so how do you explain this discrepancy?"

Takumi tried to speak, but he only managed to gag and clutched at his throat, feeling the searing pain from Shigure's strike.

"That's what I thought," said Azura, looming over him, "And now, to relieve those present of any doubt, you'll sit on the Hoshidan throne, like the king you always wanted to be."

Takumi gargled.

Shigure and Kana grabbed him by the arms and dragged him into the next room, followed by the Hoshidan and Nohrian royals, as well as their soldiers, and watched as Takumi was lowered onto the throne. His gargling and retching became savage, bestial growls as his flesh melted away to reveal a purplish liquid oozing out of his clothing, eyes sinking into pits as his body disappeared.

Many of the Nohrian and Hoshidan soldiers took steps back and gasped as they watched the transformation with disgusted awe.

"This… can't be," Xander said as he saw Takumi's form fall apart, "This is… just like father."

Azura continued, "I had Jakob, Felicia, Flora, and Gunter investigate some strange happenings for me, particularly the reason for the sudden shift in Takumi's demeanor, and, finally, the explanation came. There was only one witness, and she refused to speak, afraid that she'd be imprisoned or executed for her crime. She helped Prince Takumi draft up a will—a will that I now hold in my hands—after his wedding to Oboro. She was pregnant with their son at the time, and he wanted to provide for them even after what was about to happen. This woman agreed to assist Prince Takumi in throwing himself over the edge of the Bottomless Canyon."

"What?!" came several startled shouts.

"Aggrieved by the metaphorical loss of his brother and the literal loss of his sister, as well as the deterioration his country was experiencing, Prince Takumi decided to try to improve his mental state by wedding the woman he loved and starting a family with her, but when he realized his woes would likely only be passed on to his child, he decided he couldn't bear the burden anymore."

"A woman from a local village to which the husband and wife had traveled agreed, after receiving his will, to be his witness that this had been his choice, and not a murder or an accident. She watched him tumble into the abyss below, planning to deliver the will and the news the next day, only she never did. Why? Because, when she approached the couple's temporary housing, she recoiled in shock and horror, seeing the prince apparently unharmed and chatting quite casually with his wife."

The abomination before Azura howled and groaned at her yet more.

"But then, how is this possible, Azura?" Xander demanded, "You claim to have proof that Takumi committed suicide, but then… what is this _thing_? How did it assume Takumi's identity, and, more importantly, why?"

"Those questions can't be easily answered here," the mass of liquid suddenly spoke. The soldiers around recoiled again. It turned to Azura and growled, blowing wind into her face and making her long hair fly back. "Congratulations on your deduction, Lady Azura," it said, "Are you finished? Do you feel proud of your accomplishment? Surely you know you've only delayed the inevitable."

"Inevitable?" said Xander, "What are you talking about, creature? Answer me!"

"Do not take such a tone with me, insect," the creature replied, "You think yourself a king because of a few ancient relics? You are a mere cog in a design beyond your understanding. Humans are so lamentably self-absorbed…"

"What?"

"No matter. You have discovered my deception, but you are too late. The armies of Nohr and Hoshido lie in ruin, and the appointed time is near…"

"Appointed time? Speak sense, damn you!"

"You know of the equinox, King Xander?" Azura asked him, "It's more than a mere changing of the cycles of night and day for Hoshido and Nohr—it represents another transition altogether. One that this monstrosity will take advantage of in order to overrun this land with more like him."

"Well, what can we do to prevent it?"

"We'll have to make a run for the Bottomless Canyon and plunge into it ourselves."

"WHAT?! Have you gone utterly mad?!"

"Have you seen anything that's happened in the last few minutes?"

"Point taken, but…"

"Uncle Xander," Kana came forward, "I know a lot of this seems strange to you. It did to me at first, too. For right now, though, you just need to understand this: Takumi wasn't responsible for my papa's death—this monster was. And if you want to help us fight this monster, we have to go to the Bottomless Canyon, or else the whole world could be in danger."

"Kana… I don't exactly."

"I say… we do as she says." Xander turned around to see his son limping through the door with Forrest close behind him.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Xander," said Forrest, "I told him not to, but he demanded we go together."

"Siegbert," his father sighed, "You…"

"You wanted me to act like a leader, but also like your son, isn't that right, father? Well, as a son, I'm asking you to take my leadership advice and heed Kana's words. In all the time I've known her, even if she wasn't really family, I've always considered her worth trusting, perhaps more than most. That must be how you felt about Lord Corrin, right, father?"

Kana glanced at her uncle hopefully.

"My purpose was always to keep peace and to avenge my brother," said the king, "if those goals bring me to a new target, I suppose I have no choice. By your leave, Kana."

"Thank you, Uncle Xander."

"Shiro, Kiragi," Shigure called out to them, "What about you? Now that you know the truth, will you join us? Your cooperation is essential."

"I… always knew that guy wasn't my dad," Kiragi said, "Maybe I didn't know it, but I felt it. It didn't feel right attacking you guys. Guess my gut was right all along."

"I only fought because of what happened to my dad, but…" Shiro paused, "Now he's with you guys… it's making my head hurt, but I don't think I can say no if that's the case."

Shigure grabbed the Fujin Yumi from the collapsing mass that had once posed as Takumi and handed it to Kiragi. "Kiragi," he said, "I need you to take your father's bow. I know you may not be ready to fight, and I know you may still be feeling strange, but I would ask you to pledge yourself to our cause, please. Specifically, to Kana, if you wouldn't mind."

"Sure…" he said wearily, "if I can help Kana get back at this faker… I'm game. I'm with you, Kana."

"Shiro?"

"What? Like I said, if it's to keep my dad and Hoshido safe… well, that was the whole point, wasn't it? Kana, right? Lemme at 'em."

Kana nodded at both of them and was shocked to see a white light emanating from the Shadow Yato. At once, she was blinded by the light, then realized that the blade had been replaced with a longer, more elaborate weapon that burned with an undeniable intensity. Jagged protrusions rotated all along the blade, and along its base, four lights shone red like flame.

"That's it," Azura said, incredulity mixed with hope, "The Omega Yato. The Fire Emblem."


	50. Inevitable End

"You… should not be here," said the dragon, the boom of his voice making the girl stumble.

"You were a friend to my father, weren't you?" she asked. Her long blue hair settled on her back as the echo of the dragon's voice died down.

"Humanity and dragons can know no companionship. That much is clear now. If you wish to live, you should leave this place. Go back among your kind and live among yourselves."

"But… you've got no one else, isn't that right?" she pressed, "The other dragons all went off to the world beyond here. Now there aren't any more dragons, there's just you."

Anankos said nothing.

"Isn't that a bit… sad?"

"Sadness is irrelevant, small one. This is what needed to be done to stay the madness of my brethren. And yet…"

"And yet…?"

"I am disturbed. Among my brothers, I was revered for my ability to see beyond time as you understand it—to predict the future, in short. I saw many things, and continue to see them, in the inevitable dance of fate and the universe, yet I lack the means to fully understand them."

"Why is that reason to be disturbed? You just know a little bit more about what's to come than most in that case. Most folks would consider that very handy."

"I do not expect you to understand, human. To see what I have seen is to know the end. And the end is blackness, deep and all-consuming. Everything I have ever done or learned will be forgotten by this universe. To know that… to see it is terrifying. And I think I see that it will someday drive me mad. Perhaps it was never my brothers who were insane. In any case, better that they should be separated from me."

"That doesn't seem so bad."

"Hm?"

"Well, we all die, of course. Humans know that, too. We don't know when, where, how, or why, but we all know we're going to expire eventually. Even knowing that, though, we stand by each other in battle, or make paintings and write books to change how people around us think about things, or we teach others, or we build things, or fall in love… isn't that more fun than wallowing all by yourself?"

"But… why? Even knowing that you're all doomed to rot down here like me, why would you all be so pleased? How can you carry on, knowing that none of it will ever amount to anything? Knowing that all will fade into the cold and unknowing gray aether?"

"It's not about amounting to anything," the girl said, smiling and drawing nearer, "It's fun. When we do something that makes someone else smile, it gives us a warm feeling. Or when we build or write something we can be proud of—same thing. Don't you feel that, too? Pleased within yourself for your accomplishments? That's a good feeling that no one else can take away. And if you can know that feeling, then, come what may, you've already experienced something that proved existing was worthwhile."

"'Come what may…'" the dragon repeated, "Doesn't that seem futile to you, too? If you knew the future, as I did, you'd know what came of your deeds, whether your poured your soul into them or whether you hardly even bothered. Knowing that, could you still find that feeling of pride you described?"

"I think so," the girl said after a pause, "Just like with life as a whole, the end result doesn't matter so much as whether it felt doing along the way, regardless of what it actually resulted in. Grandparents will probably never see their descendants beyond their grandchildren, but does that make it any less worthwhile to have raised a family? Certainly not."

"I do not understand," Anankos said with a sigh that fumed out of his nostrils. "You humans… how is it that you can know so little and still manage to hold wisdom even beyond my own? It defies all logic."

"Well, shouldn't your 'wisdom' and 'logic' dictate that there's always more than one perspective on things? So, there you go: there's as many things to learn as there are people in the world, and then some."

"You are a charming species," the dragon concluded, a lighter lilt in his voice. "You were created as tools, and yet… there may come a time when you have outlived the usefulness of your masters. Your lives are mere moments in a fleeting stream of time to us, but that allows you to change so rapidly—to evolve. Dragons, I fear, are stagnating. It's one of the reasons why we left our home… ah, but those stories are beyond your ken. Child of Cadros, I would ask your assistance in something."

"Oh? Go ahead."

"I wish to participate in your human traditions of 'art' and 'music.' I wish to compose a song. An ode to your father, and to all that I see in the days to come."

"Really? A song? Well, I'm not the most talented musician, but I suppose I can sing. And a few of the townspeople play instruments… perhaps, if they don't mind your presence…"

"Do not show them to me. I am too dangerous. I will corrupt their minds with my despairing words. Instead, let me dictate my thoughts to you, and you can convey them to your people as my gospel. In this way, we shall both be protected."

"Your 'gospel?' Why would you have me do this? Can't you speak for yourself?"

"As my brothers have disappeared, and I wish not for my madness to taint human minds, my voice must fall silent soon. To belay that madness, I ask that you now take these words down and keep them in your heart. After all, you are the rightful queen of Valla."

"Queen?"

"Let us begin, and then, I shall repose myself once again in my thoughts, left to ponder them alone."

[*]

Shigure opened his eyes again and watched the white light fade from them. They had been walking for quite some time since entering Valla, but the white light he saw when they descended into the bizarre land never quite left his vision. It was a resilient light, almost as if it had been coming from within him rather than from the sea of clouds that surrounded them all. He looked over as he heard Xander's voice shudder.

"By the gods…" Xander's mouth gaped as he stared at the castle. "To think… all of this was right under our noses the whole time. And Corrin… he knew about all this, but he never mentioned it. Why? Why didn't he trust us to help him?"

"It wasn't a matter of trust, Xander," Azura told him, "He didn't want to burden you with the knowledge, just as I had feared burdening him at first. He managed to break down my resolve over time, but I don't think anything could have dissuaded him from letting you focus on Nohr;s reconstruction."

"Did you know too, Kana?" her uncle asked.

"Not until recently," she answered, "The few memories I had of mama and papa never included any of this. I guess they thought I was too young to be worrying about all of it."

"That's certainly how I felt," said Azura, "If you had continued living with us here in Valla, you would have learned about it eventually, but I suppose my feelings brought about my own undoing, because it was your ignorance that caused us to send you and your brother away in the first place. My, what a long and exhausting thread has been woven by a simple failure to exchange words."

"Silence is powerful, too," said Shigure, "In his seemingly infinite wisdom, Anankos must have realized that as well."

"To think that the damned creature would go so far as to manipulate the dead, too," Xander went on, shaking his head, "He's a strange and fearsome beast. He must truly be mad, as you described. I can't think of any reason for such savagery, such deceit, such…" He couldn't find a way to conclude that thought.

"And this was the same mechanism behind father's turn," said Leo, "we've been tangled in this web for decades without realizing what we were struggling against. It's… despicable. My own son fought in a meaningless war, guided by the hands of this monster. The nerve of him, toying with us all like that! If there's one thing I absolutely detest, it's being used."

"You shouldn't beat yourself up too much, Uncle Leo," Kana told him, "I don't think I would have ever guessed something like this was happening. Sometimes you just need some extra information to open up your field of view, or else you'll always be blind to whatever's outside your current range."

Leo huffed and gave his niece a smile. "So you _did_ read a few of those books I gave you."

"Sometimes. On rainy days."

"I feel like a total dolt for going along with all the nutty stuff Takumi was doing," Shiro announced from the lull, "Or, that is, the guy impersonating Takumi. I never really wanted much to do with all of it, but I only realized how far it had gotten once my dad, uh, 'died.' After that, I was just angry all the time, and instead of blaming myself or those around me, I wanted to act like it was all Nohr's fault that we'd gotten to that point, so I lashed out. I'm sorry I ever hurt you guys."

"It's understandable, Shiro," Siegbert replied, "After all, we wouldn't have even been in Hoshido if we weren't significantly riled up in a revenge quest of our own."

"Now we see what it gets us all," Shigure concluded, folding his arms.

"So, how do we proceed?" Xander asked, turning to Azura, "What can we do to fight Anankos?"

"Kana will be the key," Azura said, "The Omega Yato she now wields is the only weapon powerful enough to end Anankos's life. That said, using the other weapons of the kingdoms' royal families will be a given—there's no telling what kind of a force Anankos has amassed between us and himself."

"I see…"

"Aside from that, I'm hoping to rely on Morgan's help, since she knows the most out of any of us about combatting real dragon threats such as these."

"Morgan?" Xander turned to face the redhead, who was approaching him with Laslow at her side.

"Lord Xander," Laslow said, "circumstances being what they are, I think it's only appropriate I give you the whole truth now. Laslow is not my real name, and I do not come from Nohr. My real name is Inigo, and I come from a faraway land called Ylisse. I was brought here by Anankos himself: he tasked me, as well as Selena and Odin, with stopping him eventually, and aiding Lord Corrin, his only son. Also… and I know this may be even harder to believe, but… I come from a future of my world that almost was. I traveled back in time with my sister and our friends to rescue Ylisse from a baleful dragon who called himself Grima. Technically, my wife, Morgan, is the daughter of Grima's human avatar. She and her father rebelled against Grima with mine and my sister's help, however, as well as that of my father, allowing us to secure peace. You should also know that I am a prince of Ylisse. My father, Chrom, was the ruler, called the exalt, of our Halidom of Ylisse."

Xander blinked. "That's… quite a lot to take in. But it does explain quite a bit. You always did seem to know more than you let on, Las—er, Inigo."

"I hope all that you heard doesn't make you distrust me, King Xander," Morgan said, "After all, I am the spawn of another dragon, in some sense."

"Nonsense." Xander shook his head. "I would have trusted you with my life during our previous campaign; your heritage has no bearing on that sentiment. In fact, I'm quite predisposed to agree with Azura that we should all defer to you now."

She laughed. "Thank you, Your Highness. In that case, I have to admit that Anankos's capabilities seem to differ considerably from Grima's, in which case I don't know if I'm as qualified as you all believe, but I think I can accurately predict this much: he'll expect us to go to the castle and he'll have many dangers awaiting us there. We won't be able to engage him without first getting there."

"And walking right into his trap?"

"I didn't say that." She wagged her finger. "Knowing his plan, we can prepare ourselves. If we can escort Kana right up to him and have her deliver the killing blow she needs to land, we'll be as good as gold. It's going to take a lot of precise movements to misdirect him just right, but if we execute it well, we might just be able to pull one over on this old dragon."

"I'm afraid… I can't allow that."

They all looked up. Kana was the first to exclaim, "Papa?!"

Corrin stood before them all, frowning. "I don't understand you all," he said, "All this scattering and scurrying, struggling to find your way out of Anankos's grand design… why bother with it? Eventually, you'll all succumb to the whims of fate, so, isn't it better to simply resign yourselves to it now? If you give in, you'll be safe. You don't have to die. You don't have to be in pain. You can rest assured that you're following the best path."

"But it's not the best, papa!" Kana protested, "You told me yourself! Anankos has gone mad—he just wants people to suffer."

Corrin's eye twitched and he held one side of his head. "No, that's not… Kana, my sweet daughter, you're confused, just like I was. Anankos isn't mad—on the contrary, he's finally been able to see reason. The machinations of humans have gone too far. We make each other suffer by fighting and dying in senseless wars. With Anankos's help, we can bring that all to an end."

"How? By getting rid of everything that makes us human?"

"…Humans are flawed creatures, dear."

"So are dragons."

"Why do you resist? It's so… pointless. Why don't you want to be safe and happy? Why don't you want to follow our god's plan for this world?"

"From what I've learned about Anankos, he's no more a god than you or I. There's more to life than just being safe—than following what others have planned. Sometimes, we have to take our own risks and, maybe, make mistakes, but then learn from them. King Xander and King Ryoma both realized how they were wrong at various times in their lives, and they've both become better for it."

"Such a philosophical child I've raised."

"You're not even really my papa. You're just some… amalgamation of my papa's thoughts and Anankos's. You don't even really know what you are, do you? You're a… a puppet!"

"You wound me, my daughter," he said, stepping toward her, "I love you, Kana. I've only ever wanted what was best for you."

"Back away."

"You're afraid to even speak to me? Why? Why won't you give your papa a chance? What if I'm right, my little Kana-bun? What if you're only condemning yourself to more misery by doing this?"

"I'll live with it," Kana said, pointing the Omega Yato at him.

"So… it's come to that, has it? Daughters pointing swords at their own fathers."

"You're _not_ my papa."

"I am, Kana. No matter how much you try to deny it. You and I share the same aura. Right now, I can sense Anankos's blood boiling within you."

"Stop it!"

"You're not like the rest of them, you know? You'll never be the same as them. Say you succeed in this crusade of yours—how long do you think it will be before you're persecuted for your blood?"

"King Xander and King Ryoma wouldn't let that happen."

"Oh? Why not? You're not _really_ their family. If their people pressure them enough, any bond can be broken to save their political position. Killing one another for the perceived 'good' of other useless groupings—that's another human flaw."

"Kana, don't listen to this aberration," Azura said, placing her hands on her daughter's shoulders.

"Azura, my darling…"

"Don't give me that," she said, "You… you disgust me, you know that? You're no better than that pale imitation of Takumi. The real Corrin stood for his convictions. Being a slave to fate would have been his greatest shame. My husband is dead… I can accept that. I won't accept a shadow like you parading around with his face."

Corrin gripped his head again. "No… I… I _am_ real. Not a shadow—I am the true face. I'm not…"

"I didn't know my father well," Shigure added, "but I can already tell you that you're doing a poor job imitating him. For one, you lack anything resembling his natural charisma."

"Urgh," Corrin grunted, "My lord Anankos… is this… why? They lie. Why do they tell these lies?"

Azura began to step forward to reach him, but before she could, he shouted in pain.

"Argh!" he howled, standing, "That's enough! Lord Anankos needs my power… he won't be destroyed by the likes of… you! I won't let him! In the meantime, I've already sufficiently delayed you all… you won't make it. You won't! He will… he will rule over all!"

"Delayed?" Morgan noted, cocking an eyebrow, "Oh no, don't tell me…"

"Azura… it's good to see you again." She looked past Corrin to see Mikoto and Sumeragi walking up toward the group, a pinkish mist expelled into the air. Behind them, the sounds of hundreds of boots marched in unison. She looked back to Corrin, but, in a blinding flash of light, he disappeared. Moments later, a flash of what seemed to be lightning struck the castle in the distance, and the structure began crumbling. The skies darkened, and from within the castle's walls, a pair of sallow claws broke out and embedded themselves in the ground, shaking the area around them. As the yellow bricks of the castle collapsed into dust, an orb cast a shadow from behind, and, eventually, was surrounded by a pair of powerful jaws. Shredded and leathery wings sprang up from behind this head to blow the dust away, and the creature released a might roar that further shook what seemed to be the entire land around it.

"Dear gods…" Xander gawked, "It's massive. And we're surrounded… Morgan, Azura… what in the seven hells do we do now?"

"Now," Morgan said, reaching into her coat, "we have to answer our own prayers."


	51. Endgame: Of Conquest and Fate

"So," said Liam, "Anyone got any other revelations while we're at it? Long-lost twins? Father was really a mysterious warlock? Mom rules a country in another continent? Lost your memory and learned that you're the scion of an evil empire?"

"Liam, not the time," Morgan chided her son.

"I'm inclined to disagree."

"Children, there is no need to fear," Mikoto announced, approaching the group with arms spread out as if to embrace them, "Only come to us quietly, and you will incur no harm."

"Don't listen to her," Ryoma told the group, "she assumes a pleasant guise, but she's a monstrosity just like the rest of them."

"Sweet Ryoma," she murmured, "it hurts to hear you speak of your mother so."

" _You_ are _not_ my mother!" he growled, "You're the same force that made a mockery of my brother!"

"King Xander, I may have a plan, but I need—" Morgan stopped when she realized the king wasn't paying her any heed.

"That was… Corrin. How? How did he…?"

"King Xander, they aren't real," Morgan reaffirmed, "they're puppets. I know how it must feel to see your brother again, but you have to understand that that wasn't him. It's just a ploy to get you into Anankos's clutches."

"B-But he…" Xander continued, "It was just like him… when you said they were possessed, I expected their voices to be different, their eyes to glow with a strange aura—something! That person looked like Corrin down to the very last detail…"

"Xander!" He heard Azura shout at him and looked over to her. "Do you remember King Garon? This is the same. Your brother is imprisoned in his own body by this entity, that's how it can copy him so well. Please… this time, I'm asking you to trust me, now that I can afford to be completely honest with you."

"Completely honest with…? Ah! That's… that's right. Back then… we didn't trust you, did we?"

Azura kept staring at him.

"I see. So, all along… Forgive me, Azura. I never realized how little I knew."

"There'll be time for forgiveness later, Xander."

"She's right," Morgan interrupted them, "For right now, I think we'd do best with a concentrated attack. We're surrounded, but if we put everyone toward one front and try to break out, it might just get us through. Of course, we run the risk of being overrun from behind…"

"Can you assure the safety of those in the front of our ranks, then?" asked the king, stealing a glance at his son.

"Nothing's certain…"

He glared at her.

"…but I can be much more certain of their survival than whoever would be in back."

"All right, then," the king said with a sigh, "Leo, Camilla, Elise, do you all understand what I have in mind? I want to have your consent before we go through with this."

"Make it snappy, chief," Liam yelled, "Those soldiers down there look like they're getting' restless, and I don't wanna be hanging around when they decide they've had enough waiting."

"Since the day father fell, I dedicated my life to Nohr's future. Why should that stop here?" Leo said with a smirk and a shrug.

"I won't let a single one of my precious little darlings come to harm from these scoundrels. Let us show them Nohr's might," Camilla added.

"You know," Elise said, "Way back, I was afraid that we were all drifting apart… I worried that we'd never recover when Corrin fled from our father that day, but I guess we've proven that nothing can separate our family. I want my own children to see that kind of unity."

Xander nodded. With that, he dropped down from his steed, walked over to Kana, and knelt before her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Kana… You're truly an amazing girl. I'm glad you could think of me as an uncle, and that I got to see you grow up. I want you to know that I'm very proud of you."

"Oh… th-thank you, Uncle Xander," she said, blinking.

"And Siegbert…" he said, rising.

"I know, father." His son nodded to him. "Let's save it for when we're back together in the castle."

Xander's eyes fell to the ground. "Right. The castle." When he lifted his head again, he saw Morgan looking over at him. "All right, then!" the king called out, "Let's waste no more time! Soldiers! Your goal is to ensure the protection of our front lines—escort them to the castle! Failure is _not_ an option!"

"This way!" Morgan beckoned, leading the children to the front. She retrieved a tome from her sleeve and blew away a line of the assembled Vallites with a lightning bolt. Kana, Shigure, Siegbert, Forrest, Shiro, Kiragi, Sophie, Ophelia, Asugi, Soleil, and Liam all followed closely behind her.

Mikoto gave chase, training her bow. "You cannot escape your fate so easily, little ones." She fired a shot toward Shiro, but Siegbert rode in front of the arrow and blocked it with his armor. Shiro paused to glance at his savior before continuing his flight. Siegbert gave him a smile.

"Don't you dare, you nasty thing!" Camilla shouted at Mikoto, roaring up toward her with her axe raised. A group of knights assembled to protect the former Hoshidan queen, however. "Oh," Camilla said with a smirk, "You _all_ want to play, do you?" She changed direction and promptly hacked straight through the armor of one of the knights.

"Yeah, stay away!" Elise shouted. She loosed a fireball that knocked the remaining knights to the ground.

"Your end has come, villain!" Owain shouted, cropping up beside his wife, "Now, together!"

"Fateful Binding!" The two cast bolts of lightning that crossed over one another and knocked down columns of advancing Vallites who had risen to guard Mikoto.

Mikoto herself raised her bow again, intending to fire at Camilla and her wyvern, who were now looping around for another strike. She was caught off-guard, however, and had the bow fall from her hands when she was struck in the side by another arrow.

"If you'll have me…" Sakura said to the Nohrians around her, clutching her side as she lowered her bow, "I… I can fight, too."

Xander and Leo had begun fending off the forces that followed behind the children, led by Sumeragi. The former king of Hoshido was sprinting past his own forces at a blinding speed, ignoring them entirely and not bothering to give any orders. When he spotted Xander, he leapt into the air and swung at him. Xander just barely managed to put Siegfried out in front of himself and stop the attack. "You…" Sumeragi said as he rolled back to the ground and found his footing, "You are the son of King Garon! He was quite a challenge, in his day. Let us see if his pup lives up to his mighty legacy!"

"I am not and never will be my father," Xander said, exchanging a few quick slashes with the samurai.

"I'm inclined to agree," his opponent laughed.

"I am greater still!" proclaimed the king of Nohr, hitting his foe with a strike that pushed him back despite him digging his feet into the ground. "Such is the promise of Nohr—every generation is stronger than the last."

Sumeragi, now recovered, dodged a few of Xander's attacks. "You build yourself up with pretty words, Nohrian, but you know your strength will take you only so far. Yours is a kingdom doomed to fail!" Sumeragi sprang up again, and this time, Xander was taken by surprise with the force of the blow and knocked off his steed. Sumeragi loomed over him and thrust his katana downward, but the attack was blunted by a quick cut.

Ryoma kicked his father in the chest to send him back and levelled his sword at the former king of Hoshido.

"Ryoma…" Sumeragi sighed, "Must we play out the tired contest for superiority between father and son?"

"There won't be any such contest," Ryoma replied, "Your swordsmanship is weak. You barely scratch the surface of my father's power."

The children continued rushing toward the castle, slipping through the enemy in a narrow line created by Morgan's continued bursts of magic and maintained Inigo's quick disposal of enemies as they tried to break into the line.

In the midst of the running and fighting, Liam approached Forrest: "Hey, Prince Forrest!"

"Huh?" the prince looked down, "Oh, you. The antisocial boy from the ship."

"Yeah," Liam looked to the side, "listen, I want you to hold onto something for me, all right?"

"Now's not really the time for gifts."

"No—just… Listen, okay? I have a staff here. It used to belong to my grandma, or so my mom said. She called it a 'priceless artifact from a bygone era.' Now, as you can imagine, I don't get much use outta staves…"

"Yes…?"

"But, if we get into a serious mess, maybe you can make something happen with this, eh?"

"Wait… why did you have it if you can't use it?"

"You know what 'collateral' is?"

"You were _gambling_ with it?!"

"Does it matter?! Look if things go south, use the damn thing, that's all!"

Forrest took the staff and looked at it. A long, golden rod with a purplish gem at its apex, featuring the designs of seraphim whose wings met and enclosed the gem at the top. "Does it have a name?"

"Mom called it 'Rewarp.'"

Toward the back of the group, Mikoto began stumbling as she continued to pursue the children, but she was harried by more arrows from Sakura and bursts of magic from Elise and Owain. Camilla was roaring down toward her on her wyvern, and now even Silas had begun bearing down on her, lance at the ready. She managed to get a shot off that sent Camilla spiraling to the ground, and a group of axe-wielding Vallites ran up to block Silas's advance. Mikoto took up her bow again and took another shot, this one aimed at Elise. Owain got in the way of the attack, however, and let it embed itself into his shoulder, shielding Elise in the process. Sakura noticed at around the same time Elise did, and she watched the Nohrian princess leap to retrieve her staff and begin using it on her husband. Sakura then realized Mikoto was about to take a shot at her, and she realized she had no means to avoid the attack.

Suddenly, a shuriken caught in Mikoto's hand, and she howled. Sakura looked over to find her own husband panting and scowling at Mikoto. "You disgrace Lady Mikoto's name," he growled.

Sakura summoned up her courage with a deep breath and leveled her bow at her mother's face. She forced herself to keep her eyes open as she released the arrow and watched it fly straight at and into the head of the distracted Mikoto. The shaft stuck clean in her head, and she fell backward, arms spread apart.

As she lay dying, she murmured aloud, "Where am I? Where have my children gone? Oh… I see… so, it happened as I feared. But now, I die. Does this mean…? I will… hold out… hope."

Sakura's arms quivered as she watched her mother fall, and she, herself, collapsed to her knees. Saizo flung a few more shuriken at the Vallites who approached her, and Silas eventually broke away from the axe wielders to help cover Hoshido's eldest princess.

Xander and Sumeragi continued to alternate their attacks on Sumeragi, neither to any apparent progress until Leo stormed down between them, to their mutual surprise, casting from Brynhildr and ensnaring the samurai's legs in mighty, gnarled roots that sprang up from the ground. Xander and Ryoma exchanged glances from opposite sides of Sumeragi and, with unstated acknowledgement, both rushed forward and cut each flank of the captured former king.

He collapsed onto his face when the roots released him, blood ebbing out of his sides and forming wing-like patterns in the grass. "I am bested… there is… no higher honor. Be strong, Ryoma…"

Xander approached Ryoma as Sumeragi fell. Leo waited and observed the children as they continued to flee. "Er, King Ryoma," Xander called out, "I know that can't have been easy."

"I have made peace with it," Ryoma said, his eyes shut, "I ventured here not long ago, as you now know. I knew, eventually, it would be my responsibility to end my father. Or what remained of him, at any rate."

"Our father, too… he was…" Xander thought to say something, but hesitated.

"Yes?"

"Lord Ryoma—no, King Ryoma. Thank you for your assistance."

"We're not finished yet, King Xander. Keep your head up and let's keep the children safe."

"Of course."

Despite his acknowledgement, Xander lingered for another moment as Ryoma and Leo took off to catch up with the children. He looked down at the corpse of the former King Sumeragi, pondering it, and then shook his head, having made his decision. He took off after the others.

Inigo had rejoined his wife near the front of the army's ranks in time to hear her murmuring to herself, "Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, hells!"

"Morgan!" he called to her, "Talk to me: what's going on?"

"I… I miscalculated!" she said with creased brows, "There are too many! We might be able to get to the castle, but… I don't know! Even if we do get there, we could be… I… I screwed up, Inigo! I failed us!"

"Breathe!" he commanded, "This isn't over just yet!"

"I can't! I made a mistake, and now—"

"Morgan, now is _not_ the time to be second-guessing!"

"Father wouldn't have…"

"Don't worry about what your father would have done! What are _you_ going to do?! Think clearly, Morgan! You can't lose your composure now!"

Her hastened breathing slowed a little as her eyes darted everywhere. "Uh… inside. We have to get inside the castle. That way, we can funnel them, but… we're not all going to fit in there, and anyone who stays outside…"

"That's fine—we have a plan! I'll relay it to King Xander!"

"Inigo, wait!"

He did so and hung beside her. She grabbed him by the neck and kissed him. "Be careful," she said, "I love you."

"I love you, too." He smiled at her. "You can do this."

The gates of Castle Valla were quite large—about as large as those that led into Castle Krakenburg. Into the walls were carved reliefs featuring dragons and humans interacting, as well as numerous hieroglyphs that seemed to spell out some indecipherable litany. At the top of the gates, just above the door, more of these hieroglyphs appeared, and, beside them, a word in letters recognizable to humans: "Arcadia."

These features were largely ignored by the crowd of children who thrust open the gates to find the ruined layers of the castle leading up to sickly, purple-gray body of the Silent Dragon. On these layers stood yet more Vallite soldiers, poised to strike at the children as they entered.

When they broke through, Kana and Shigure were at the front of the group. Seeing the danger, they turned and Kana called out, "Mama—what should we do?"

As the rest of the children came through the doors, Xander and Leo had come to the front and were standing just outside the threshold, standing alongside Azura. The blue-haired woman beckoned Siegbert and Forrest over and bid them face their fathers.

"Siegbert," Xander began, "We have very little time, but I will do everything in my power to secure your future. With that in mind, I need to you to take the next step on your path to becoming Nohr's next king."

Siegbert looked down and realized his father was handing him Siegfried. "F-Father!" he stuttered, "I don't know what to say… I couldn't!"

"There's no time for such things, Siegbert!" Xander shouted, "Now, do as I say—take the lead, and take your birthright!"

"Y-Yes, father." He did as he was told and took the sword, feeling immediately empowered upon holding it. The blade glowed with a black and red aura that he could feel feeding into him. For once, Siegbert felt in command, as if the entire situation was under his control.

"You do the same, Forrest," Leo commanded, handing him Brynhildr, "We've had our hurdles in the past, but you should know exactly what kind of responsibility I'm entrusting to you by handing you this tome."

"Yes," Forrest said as he took it, "I understand. Thank… Thank you."

"Don't thank me," said Nohr's eldest prince, "You're my son. Prove you're worth the mantle."

"You'd better make it through this!" he heard his mother shout, "I didn't raise my son to bow out at the very end!"

"Thank you, too, mother," he chuckled, "Helpful as always."

Before he and Siegbert realized what was happening, the gates of the castle slammed closed and a heavy chain was wrapped around their handles.

"Great." Liam was panting and looked down the hall. "Now all we got to worry about is the giant dragon and the _other_ army making its way toward us."

"Don't worry about any army," Soleil said, "You royal folks get on up their and take care of that dragon."

"You're not gonna go after 'em alone, are you?" Liam gawked at his sister.

"Of course not." She smiled. "Daddy's gonna help."

"Soleil and I are more than capable," Inigo said, patting his son on the back, "But I need you to go up there with the royals."

"Me?"

"Absolutely. You're the best strategist for one-on-one conflicts."

"I don't have much experience with dragons."

"Now's a good time to learn."

"Don't be stupid. These guys don't need me when they have mom and—"

"Liam." His father stared into his eyes. "They need you. And I'm asking you to do this for me. Can you?"

Liam's eyes twitched. "Fine. But don't get yourself killed, old man. And Soleil?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't go doing anything stupid, all right? If you die… I'll… uh… Just don't, all right?"

"Fine. Spare me one of your fruits?"

"You nervous?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"Just a little."

He tossed an orange at her, narrowly missing her head. She gave him a thumbs-up.

"Come on, killer," Morgan said, taking her son's hand, "You're with me. We're going to finish this thing."

The Nohrian and Hoshidan royal children began running up a jagged pile of stone and debris that formed a long slope up to the dragon's body, no doubt intentionally. Azura and Morgan ran along with them, equally prepared for the end. The Vallites around the castle began walking after the royals, but Soleil and Inigo stepped out in front of them. "Not so fast, boys," Inigo said, cracking his knuckles, "You want them, you're going to have to go through me. And that won't be the first time I've said that and meant it."

"We're gonna teach you some new steps!" Soleil giggled. "Whaddya think, dad? Feeling the rhythm?"

"You can say that again." He nodded. "Now, just like we practiced, let's do it on-beat! One, two, and _three_!"

The children finally made it to the apex of their long road to confront the dragon, only to find not a face, but a curious orb clenched between massive, eyeless jaws. The orb itself seemed to be made of an otherworldly metal and shone a reflective forest-green. From within the orb, pale red eyes ripped through curtains of flesh and stared down at the advancing children. "The royalty of Hoshido and Nohr," it addressed them all, its thunderous voice shook the ground and the footing of all the children, "Come to end my life, have you?"

"You've done enough, Anankos!" Kana shouted at him, "You've killed thousands of innocents and conspired to drive humanity to extinction! Don't you see? You're insane!"

"Do not speak to me with such arrogance, little speck. Yes, I killed many humans. Such was their deserved fate. Humans are corrupt and misguided. They must be culled, or they will extinguish themselves. Only under my care can such tragedy be avoided."

"Having them live as slaves is no life at all!"

"What point do you think you are making, child of men? To me, you and your entire race are but tools. I have no interest in your notions of morality or propriety."

"…What? But… what you're doing is… it's wrong! It's… you can't do this to people!"

"And why not? Your conception of 'wrong' is the invention of a worthless species. Being a slave is your proper place. Your very consciousness is a mistake—one that will soon be corrected."

"I…"

"Kana!" Shigure grabbed her shoulder, "Enough. There's no point in trying to argue with this beast. He's beyond reasoning by now."

"Regardless, we won't stand by and let you enslave us, Anankos!" Siegbert shouted, raising Siegfried.

"That's right!" Shiro agreed, "You can jabber all you want about our 'proper place,' but we're gonna beat that self-assurance right outta you! My dad's sword is a divine weapon, made in ancient times to slay dragons, so you got one guess as to where it's going!"

"How your voices do irritate me," Anankos sighed. The dragon's long arm wound back and came hurtling forward at the group. They endeavored to dodge the attack, but it was so massive and sweeping that all of the children were caught up in its force. Siegbert and Shiro, being the furthest out in that moment, endured the worst of the attack and were flung to the ground, their weapons toppling uselessly away from them.

Asugi stood first, groaning, "Augh. Damn, he did that with just a wave of his hand? I expected him to be powerful, but this…?"

"It's going to take quite a lot to quell Anankos," Azura said, standing as well, "and weakening him will be first among those requirements. Everyone, please, summon whatever strength you have and prepare to fight!"

"Azura, please. There's no need for that." Corrin walked out from the aether near the dragon's body.

She tried to restrain herself, but "Corrin" slowly drifted past her lips.

"Yes, darling. As much as I'd love to hear that beautiful song from your lips again, I have to ask you to refrain." He walked closer to her. "Look at those sparkling golden eyes, made so weary by all this strife… I'm sorry, my darling. I never wanted all this for you. I wanted you to be happy and safe, to have a chance to raise a family away from all the war and pain we suffered, but I've only managed to embroil you in it all over again. That's why I'm not demanding, but only asking: dear, will you follow me into eternity?" He extended his hand to her, giving a faint smile.

"Th-There's no way I would ever—"

"You've been so lonely. I don't want you to have to endure it any longer. If you'll stand by my side again, I promise, you'll never be made to feel lonely. There's someone else here you should meet…"

Azura lifted her head from her husband's gaze to see her mother walking down toward her. "M-Mother?" she stuttered.

"Yes, my love. She's here with us, too. Now, will you give up on this fool's errand? Please… I don't want to stand opposed to you any longer."

"I… I…" Azura stood still, her arms shaking, and said nothing.

"Come, darling." Corrin extended his hand once more. "'Just let it flow,' isn't that right? There's no use struggling against the tides of fate."

"Papa?" Kana came walking over to him.

"Ah, and my sweet daughter," he said gladly, "Have you finally understood your father, too?"

"I think I have."

"This is getting out of hand," Morgan said, "We have to put a stop to this before lose everything."

"Hang on a sec," Liam said, grabbing her arm, "Let's let this play out for a moment."

"Liam, we don't have any time to 'let this play out.' If something happens to Kana and Azura, you can stick a fork in us."

"You haven't been around Kana as much as I have," Liam told her, "Just wait. Our fate hangs on what she does anyway, right? I'm asking you to trust me, and I'm gonna trust Kana."

Morgan moved to say something, but ended up sighing and shrugging her shoulders. "You're right: what the hell do we have to lose?"

"Papa," Kana went on, "I told you that when I was a little girl, I didn't know about you or mama. When I learned about you, you suddenly sprang into my life, and I grew to hate you because you weren't there. Then, one day, you suddenly came into my life for real, and then I started loving you… it was all so confusing."

"I know, pumpkin," he said, taking steps toward her, "but you don't have to be distressed anymore. Soon, that will all pass like the tide, receding into the sea."

"But then, you were killed, and that… that really tore my heart in two. I was just figuring out how I felt, and suddenly, you were gone again."

"Oh, sweetheart…"

"Liam…" Morgan frowned at her son.

"Dammit, give it another second!" he answered. His stare burned into Kana. She had to know. She was going to do the right thing.

"I learned a lot from you, papa. And from mama, too. That short time I spent with you has made this decision really difficult… and also, very easy."

"Thank you, honey," he said, opening his arms to embrace her, "This will be the start of a wonderful new life for us both, I promise."

"Me too," she said, a single tear welling in her eye. She brought her hands to the hilt of the Omega Yato and drew it, driving it into her father's stomach. He gasped as if all the air had been knocked out of his lungs when she did so.

"Kana…" he groaned.

"I'm sorry, papa," she said quietly, shutting her eyes.

"Why?" he asked. A smile tugged at his mouth. "You did a… great job."

"Papa?!"

"It's like a veil has been lifted. Kana, I'm so… proud. I love you."

Corrin's body slowly evaporated into a pink mist, accentuated by an outpouring of shimmering bubbles that disappeared into the air. Kana stood still and watched the display, her hands glued to her blade, which also hung still in its position. Azura's eyes were wide as they stared at her daughter.

"Poor girl." Morgan bit her lip.

"You did good, Kana," Liam said, bowing his head in relief.

"Enough." The ground trembled as the figure above them all roared. "You have wasted enough of my time."

The children ran for cover as the dragon wound up another strike, but they were still sent flying when his claw smashed into the ground. Siegbert and Shiro tried to pick themselves up quickly and drive their blades into the claw, but Anankos withdrew it and, instead, swatted them aside with his other claw, tossing them into a heap. Forrest and Shiro each drew their own divine weapons and fired at the dragon, who staggered back for a moment, then roared loudly again and beat his wings, flinging the pair off their feet.

"We can't fight something so massive," Shigure said through gritted teeth, dodging another swipe from the dragon's claws.

"He's gotta be weak somewhere," Liam shouted, "Everyone and everything is. Come to think of it, I have a pretty good idea where." He looked up to the orb clenched in the dragon's jaws and saw the red eyes narrow on him. He yelped and ducked for cover as one of the creature's hands came hurtling toward him, only to be stopped in mid-arc by a bolt of thunder from one of Morgan's tomes.

"Dragon or no, you're not laying a finger on my baby," she said.

"You…" A long growl emanated from Anankos. "Your blood is… wrong. It is repulsive."

"Some people have told me that." Morgan smirked at the dragon. "Most of them are dead now."

Another claw came from behind both her and Liam, however, and they were knocked away. Sophie ran after the claw and impaled it with her lance while Ophelia cast a ball of fire into it, and Asugi flung several shuriken at it. Anankos howled again and drove both his fists into the ground, shattering the floor and causing the group to sink. A light gleamed from the orb, pooling with a purplish glow near the end of the beast's mouth.

Liam got up, coughing. "Oh, I do _not_ like the look of that."

"You will fall silent!" the dragon bellowed, "You will know oblivion!"

"Would you cram it with the big talk already?!" Liam shouted at the massive body. The eyes centered on him. "Yeah!" He pointed at the dragon. "I'm talking to you, metal-mouth! 'Fate' this, 'worthless humans' that, gods! Get an original line for once, will ya?!"

Anankos raised his claws again and sent them stabbing down toward the blue-haired youth.

"HA!" Liam laughed, "Well, look at that! Got under a dragon's scales, did I?"

He dropped to the ground as the claws struck near him. The sharp nails missed him, but the force of the impact shoved his face roughly into the ground, causing him to cut his forehead on the splintered tile. The pair of claws began to push inward to crush him together, and so he slammed his fist into the weakening tile, breaking it apart and sending him tumbling below.

When Anankos moved his claws, the dust had begun to settle, and it became clear that the youth was nowhere to be found. The dragon roared and, in his ire, failed to see a wearied, sweaty Liam return to the group. "Not an easy hike back up here," he panted, "especially not in so little time."

"Liam," Kana shouted at him, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Use your head, girl!" he answered, "What do you think?"

"I…"

"Here's a better suggestion: how about _all_ of you start using your heads, and those fancy-shmancy royal weapons of yours!"

"Oh!" Siegbert nodded. "Shiro, will you join me?"

"Isn't that what I've been doing this whole time?" answered the Hoshidan prince. They ran toward Anankos's left side.

"Guess that means we go this way," Kiragi said, elbowing Forrest.

"Right behind you," the Nohrian prince concurred.

"And as for us?" Shigure looked over at Kana and Liam.

"Isn't it obvious?" the blue-haired boy said with a shrug, "You're goin' right up the middle. 'Course, you'll need some help, too."

"We're on it!" Sophie announced, raising her lance.

"Let this be a most ostentatious final blow, echoing throughout eternity!" Ophelia chimed in.

"Uh, yeah… I'll… throw as much as I got at 'im. Literally," Asugi finished.

"Mom." Liam caught his mother's attention. "You're gonna help Kana land that final blow, right?"

She winked at him. "I'm your girl!"

He frowned. "Please don't say that."

By now, Anankos had realized he was under attack once more, and prepared to swat at Siegbert and Shiro, who were currently stabbing at his right arm, only for his left to start feeling the effects of Forrest and Kiragi's onslaught. As the dragon's body flailed back and forth, Sophie, Ophelia, and Asugi charged up toward his midsection and began their own attack.

"Lady Azura," Liam called out to her, "Now'd be the time to do whatever you were going to do."

She leered at the beast. Wiping a lock of her blue hair out of her dirtied, blood-smeared face, she took a deep breath. "Right."

"CONTEMPTIBLE VERMIN!" Anankos roared, "DID YOU THINK YOU COULD OUTWIT ME?!"

Liam tapped his forehead. "No idea what you're on about, big guy."

The dragon's head suddenly lurched forward, shooting the orb from its mouth down toward the group. Liam's eyes widened and he tried to dodge the projectile, but it was simply too quick, and the heavy metal crushed and ground him into the floor, which began crumbling beneath him.

"N-Nice work, idiot," he groaned, coughing blood out from his lungs, "Now you've… done it…" Having gotten in his final word, the blue-haired boy chuckled weakly as he tumbled through the floor and landed several stories below with a resounding thud.

The orb's eyes shifted around, noticing that Kana, Shigure, Azura, and Morgan had begun approaching it.

"So, that was your plan…" Morgan pondered the hole in the floor, "Damn. Clever boy. Still, you didn't have to go through it like this."

"You see where this is going now, don't you, Anankos?" Azura said, glaring at the orb. She lifted her hands to the sky and held a note, letting her pendant rise and shine with a great aqua glow.

"THAT SONG…!" the dragon hissed.

"Kana! Shigure!" Morgan shouted at them, "Now's the time!"

"Anankos." Shigure approached the orb, holding out his dragonstone. "I've seen… visions in my dreams. I don't know if I can believe them, but in my heart, I know that I want them to be true. As such, I dispatch you now not out of malice, but because it is as your sane mind would have desired. The power you created will be your undoing, just as you planned!"

"C-Cadros…?" the dragon's voice quivered.

Shigure welcomed the power of the stone into his body and, in a brilliant flash of light, transformed. He dug his clawed legs into the ground and thrust himself up at one of the orb's open eyes. "Here!" he shouted, "The power of dragons and men are united as one!"

Shigure's spiked antlers drove themselves into Anankos's eye, causing him to shout in agony.

 _Sing with me a song of silence and blood_

Kana raised the Omega Yato, feeling a pulse through the blade like when it had first transformed. It seemed as if it were making her heart beat faster, generating an incredible heat in her chest. There could be no hesitation now.

 _The rain falls, but can't wash away the mud_

"Kana!" Morgan called out to her, "I'm with you. You can do this."

 _Within my ancient heart dwells madness and pride_

With a great shout, Kana sprinted forward with all the strength that her legs could put out. She approached the orb and thrust her blade into another of its eyes with every ounce of force in her arms. Her muscles burned and ached as she continued to push the blade in over Anankos's shouts of agony.

 _Can no one hear my cry?_

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Anankos cried out, "MANKIND CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT ME! YOU PAVE A PATH TOWARD ANNIHILATION!"

"You've created a ruin all your own!" Kana shouted.

"You've destroyed all you set out to build!" Shigure added.

"A long and winding path has led us all here, Anankos!" Morgan pointed to the beast. "From the first men of Archanea, to the Hero-King, to the blood of the Exalted and Fell, tied together eternally, to my father before me, and from Inigo's father to him! From us to our children! In the same way, your blood has been nurtured in your own darkness for ages, to Azura and Corrin's ancestors, and from them into these two children, and now, it returns to you! Feel now those two long rivers of fate as they reach their head and crash into you!"

"All the promise and love you cultivated to give humans hope!" Shigure struck another eye with his claws.

"All the hatred and chaos you sowed that gave humans the courage to leave you behind!" Kana cut another eye out.

"This is the end of all those fates! They all connect to you! A new, unwritten fate begins with you falling, here and now!" Morgan struck the orb with a long bolt of lightning. Kana and Shigure leapt onto the orb again and struck it one last time, causing Anankos to roar with dwindling breath. The two children, exhausted, collapsed, as did the remains of the castle.

Forrest, seeing the castle collapsing around them, recognized the impending danger and thought to his conversation with Liam. Concentrating, he retrieved the staff he'd been gifted and raised it, letting the light engulf him.

Outside, Xander watched his enemies suddenly evaporate before his eyes, as if they were suddenly plucked away. Before he had a moment to question it, a flash of light glimmered above him, and the shadows of the children colored the grass as they fell.

And then, without any further action, the world fell into silence.


	52. Epilogue: The Fate That Still Remains

The familiar, gray hooded figure was walking up toward him. He couldn't see anything behind the figure—the sky above him and ground beneath him were white. He couldn't even feel his limbs. It felt as if everything had been lost to him but his vision in that moment. He stared straight ahead and watched the figure approach, helpless to do anything else.

"Child of Cadros," the figure said, lips curving gently into a smile, "thank you."

"I'm…" he stuttered. He stopped as soon as the word fell out, however: he had no idea he'd actually be able to speak.

"You saw it, did you not? Through my visions. The tale of dragons and men. Something of an abridged version, but sufficiently detailed, I thought."

"That was you." It wasn't a question. "Anankos. The real you. Before the madness spread. And you communed with Cadros, a human."

"Not just any human. Your ancestor, Shigure. Ancestor to all the royal blood of Valla. You are a curious case, however, in that you resemble him exactly as I remember him, back in his prime. You carry yourself like a true king of Valla."

"So, you say you were the one who created those visions? And, what, you sent them to me, somehow?"

"The memory was within you as well as it was within me. Your mind's eye has seen all that I have seen, albeit from a slightly different perspective."

"But how could I see it? I wasn't there. Why wouldn't Kana be able to see it, as well?"

"As I said, you are a special case, Shigure. Humans have a word for this: 'reincarnation.' I don't know if you really are the spirit of Cadros inhabiting a new body, but you certainly emanate an identical aura."

"Even you don't know, then?"

"I am wise, but not omnipotent. I can see beyond myself and past the bonds of time, but in those images, I see only what is possible. Humans are the ones who shape the future into a sharp line from the discordant array of materials I see."

"I… think I understand. It's a shame. I wish there was another way we could have ended all this without taking your life."

Anankos smiled. "Do not worry after me, child. I have known for a long time that my life would come to an end."

"But you said you could only see future possibilities, not certainties."

"Quite so. In every version of the future, however, I would eventually die. This is something I came to realize would be necessary for the universe to continue. It was a… difficult thing to endure for my conscious mind, and so my madness grew."

"So, the prophecy of your madness was a self-fulfilling one."

"All very theatrical, isn't it? But yes, I did everything I could to struggle against my fate, only to realize that my end had already been decided."

"Is everyone cursed that way? Are all of our attempts to change our lives in vain?"

"Absolutely not. I was maddened by the very thought of death, but a human girl, the daughter of Cadros, told me things that gave me peace—at times, anyway. For me, the idea of losing all my wisdom was too great, but, she told me, to a human, passing on a stable world and a bevvy of knowledge to the next generation was more than enough. Even to those uninterested in or unable to leave a legacy, sometimes the promise of a world of memories to explore and keep was enough.

"I am unable to reproduce in the same manner as humans, and I already know all I need know of the world, so, eventually, I came to think of humans as my children. My knowledge is often too much for humans, however—they are similarly driven mad. Eventually, I had to give up on that project and return to ruminating over my destiny in silence."

"Anankos…" Shigure bowed his head. "I'm sorry. That's terrible. I can't even begin to imagine your pain."

"No, you can't. But that's all right. I don't want you to know my pain. I want you to go on living your lives in the ways that bring you joy, so that you might all find the happiness and fullness of being that I lacked."

"Thank you. We will endeavor to do so."

"May I make a final request of the bloodline of Cadros? Of you, Shigure?"

"Of course."

"You no doubt know the power of the blade wielded by your sister, and the pendant worn by your mother. What you may not know is that these two were assembled in unison."

"If I remember the vision, the Yato was created by the one my parents knew as the Rainbow Sage, right?"

"Indeed. He was a skilled craftsman to whom I lent my knowledge. I sensed the tides of war approaching between dragons and men, and I had these two items forged to be wielded by men that they might be protected—one, an instrument of war, capable of tapping into the ardent desires of human souls united in one purpose to create a blazing icon that would supersede any foe; the other, a piece of jewelry, a human form of 'art,' used to supplant another 'art,' one of song. This piece would be able to calm the heat that boils men's minds when their hearts burn too strong. Like the sea, it would settle their ardor into the gentle rhythms of thoughtfulness again. It had a similar effect on dragons but, regrettably, was not powerful enough to utterly erase our madness."

"Two sides of the same coin. One riles peoples' spirits up to unite them, the other helps them find tranquility and clarity."

"I'm glad you understand. I gave these tools to Valla's royalty, to be guarded as treasures after Cadros's passing. The Fire Emblem was given to their new king, a man with firm determination to rebuild and reshape Valla for humanity, and the other, the pendant, was given to his wife, Cadros's daughter and a fine songstress who tended to the needs of her people and ensured their goodwill. Such was to remain the tradition, but, eventually, the Emblem was taken from Valla by a man who learned of my oncoming madness and wanted the citizens of Valla to flee. In some respects, it is lamentable that they did not follow him."

"As I recall, the Yato ended up being embedded in a statue in Hoshido, didn't it? Was that where the man went?"

"Yes. That man was a distant ancestor of the one you now know as Sumeragi. Hoshido was very different before his arrival—it had become a land of excess and depravity. This man, however, taught them the virtues of respect and conscientiousness. He taught them to honor the blessings of the Dawn Dragon, not merely to indulge in them."

"What of Nohr? Did they ever undergo such a change?"

"No. Nohr has always been the harsh land of subsistence you know. It was only its kings and queens that decided how much light would be shed upon it in its various eras. Ah, but I fear we've diverged from the point—the relics."

"Right, the Yato and the pendant. What of them?"

"When you return, I want you to cast them into the sea, and let no man ever attempt to retrieve them. Their purpose is expended now, and it is too clearly the nature of man to seek power beyond his ken for the simple joy of having it."

"When I 'return?'"

"Anankos and I are going to somewhere different than you, Shigure," he heard another familiar voice say, "You must have realized that."

"F-Father?" Shigure gawked. As if he'd materialized out of nowhere, Corrin was now standing beside Anankos's form.

"I'm impressed," Corrin said, "You and your sister exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. I had always hoped you two would reunite, but to see you come together with such power… I may not understand all of Anankos's designs, but I think that's the way it was meant to be."

"In this case," Anankos agreed, "In other worlds, your father might have ended the strife himself by slaying the possessed Takumi early, but at the expense of more Hoshidan lives. In still others, he would unite with Hoshido instead and vanquish the possessed King Garon at the height of his power, but at the cost of his Nohrian family. These things are never fully determined until a choice is made."

"Well, that being the case," Corrin continued, "I'm glad I chose to be with Azura, and everything else I did to lead me up to having you as a son, Shigure. Knowing all you went through… you stuck to your guns and did what you felt was right, not willing to betray your convictions for anyone else's sake, but keeping your mind open… You've made me incredibly proud. I bet your mother feels the same. And she's waiting for you."

"Waiting for… Oh, of course. Thank you, father."

"Don't thank me. Just keeping being the amazing man that you are, Shigure. Oh, and tell your mother and your sister that I love them both dearly, and that I'll be watching over them. Especially your sister—if she gets into any trouble, she's going to get an earful. Oh, and please pass along my thanks to Morgan, Inigo, Owain, and Severa, for protecting my family throughout all this. And Jakob, Felicia, Flora, and Gunter, of course. Oh, and all your aunts and uncles. And—"

"It's time for Shigure to return, I think," Anankos declared.

"Right. Sorry. Keep making me proud, son."

"Goodbye, father. Goodbye, Anankos."

Everything in his field of view collapsed into white. Moments later, Shigure felt his eyes opening. The first thing he saw as they opened was his sister's hand being offered to him. He took it and felt himself be pulled up. "Glad to see you're okay," she said, "didn't take you for a heavy sleeper, though."

"Heavy sleeper?" He looked around. All the other children had risen and clustered together with their parents, expressing joy that they had each been saved. "Did we…?" Shigure trailed off, "That is… did we do it, then? Everyone's safe? Anankos is…?"

Kana nodded. "Yep. Somehow, we managed. Though, don't ask me how, exactly. Everyone just fought tooth and nail and, eventually, we got through, I guess."

"Ah, that's right," Shigure mumbled, shaking his head to further stimulate his consciousness, "I had some kind of a dream or a vision… father wanted you to know that he loves you, and that he'll be watching over you."

She blinked. "On any other day, I'd say you probably hit your head pretty hard falling, but, just this once, I have a feeling that you're telling the absolute truth."

"It's kind of hard to believe it's over, isn't it?"

"Definitely. I mean, once we go back, the war's as good as over. It's been the way of things for so long, it'll be weird to adjust to things being like they were before. And, speaking of before… Thank you, Shigure, for believing in me, and joining me. Without you, we wouldn't have stood a chance."

"Oh, I don't know. I think the threads of fate were being pulled in your direction either way."

"Just take the compliment, okay?"

"Very well. How can I refuse my sweet little sister?"

They both laughed a little, but then Kana's expression changed, her eyes suddenly widening: "Ack! What about mom?! I ran right over to you, but I don't know where she is!"

"Lookin' for this?" The pair turned to see Morgan leading Azura over, the blue-haired woman supporting herself on the redhead's shoulder.

"Shigure, Kana," she mewled upon seeing them, lip quivering, "The both of you… what you did… I…"

Kana and Shigure helped their mother off of Morgan's shoulder and both embraced her. She reciprocated, and her fingers dug deeply into both of their backs like she was holding onto them for dear life.

Shigure looked at Morgan over his mother's arms. "Is your family all right, Lady Morgan?" he asked.

"No worries," she said, "we don't go down easy." To emphasize her point, an ash-coated Inigo came forward, carrying a semi-conscious Liam over his shoulder and leading his similarly filthy daughter by the hand.

Kana noticed their presence and turned to whisper in her mother's ear: "Mama, can I let you go for just a second?"

She smiled through her wet eyes and nodded.

Kana drifted out of her mother's grip and stood before Inigo so she could tug on Liam's collar. "Hey," she called, "you alive?"

"Of course," he coughed, "nobody's gonna keep me down."

"Thought so. I just wanted to say, even though I know it wasn't your choice… thanks for being my retainer. In the end, I don't think I could've asked for better."

He managed to raise his head and stare at her gladly smiling face. He turned his head so she couldn't see him and said, "D-Damn right you couldn't!"

"Liam…" his father jostled him on his shoulder.

"Oof!" he grunted. "Er, you're not bad yourself, princess. Maybe I'll… catch ya 'round."

"I'd like that," she replied.

Inigo and Morgan took their children and left Azura, Kana, and Shigure to embrace one another once more. They joined up with Severa, Owain, and their families to express their joy at each other having survived yet another dragon encounter. Their celebrations were undercut, however, by a revelation from King Xander: the group hadn't managed to win the battle without significant casualties.

Shiro found it the hardest to listen to as Xander explained: "We all had our backs to those gates for as long as we could hold out. We listened to the sounds and shouts coming from there, and we wondered if any of us were going to make it, but all of us kept thinking of our children, and we knew we had to push through. We fought for every inch of ground that we maintained, but, eventually, things were starting to look grim, and it seemed like they were going to breach our lines. We couldn't have that happen, and one person realized that better than anyone… When things were at their darkest, Ryoma pushed forward and drew them all toward him. It was… inhuman, what he did. He must have killed a hundred of them by himself, stalling for the rest of us to regain our strength. His wife and his sister pleaded for him to stop, but he refused. He said that to the world beyond us, he was all but dead already. He made me pledge to establish a lasting peace with Hoshido when we succeeded, and… nothing would make me gladder than to honor that promise."

"But… who'll lead Hoshido in his absence?" Elise asked, "Shiro's still too young, isn't he? And he's the oldest of their children…"

"You're forgetting someone, Elise," her brother told her.

"Huh?" Her brother pointed his finger, and she followed it to see Sakura's face lowered to the ground. "Oh, right. Sakura. But… she… To go through all that, and…"

"It's… okay," the oldest remaining princess of Hoshido said, lifting her head, "I… when Hinoka passed, and the first war ended, I pledged to do anything I could to help Hoshido—to never be that useless again. I want to return home and draft a new peace agreement with you, King Xander."

"That might make you both quite unpopular with your respective kingdoms, for the record," Leo added. Severa gave him a little shove for interrupting.

Sakura nodded. "I'm not worried about that. We'll deal with those things as they come. For right now, what's important is that we stop the kind of slaughter that led us here today. Another war like that would devastate our entire world, even without dragons looking to sabotage us underlying everything."

"I agree completely," said Xander, "Now, as always, nothing is more important than securing the safety of all the people of our world.

The king walked toward Sakura, and she met him halfway. They shook each other's hand and nodded. The course of the world had been decided.

~~~ […] ~~~

Sakura—Late Bloom

As promised, following the war, Sakura met with Xander and created a new peace accord between Nohr and Hoshido that would stand the test of time. Sakura's tenure as queen of Hoshido was filled with many an evening of her breaking down into tears at the stress of her role as well as the overwhelming loss of her family. Nevertheless, these momentary lapses were kept private, and she remained a pillar of quiet strength for her country, and helped to nurse the nation's wounds. Neither Saizo nor Asugi took much interest in the governance of their nation, although Saizo was technically the king during Sakura's reign. She kept the memory of all her siblings, Corrin included, close to her heart.

Elise—Nohr's Light

Elise would go down in history as the biggest contributing factor to Nohr's reconstruction after the end of the first war, and as a beloved ambassador to Hoshido following the second. Her cheeriness and willingness to help others made her a household name in both countries, and she helped heal the bitterness of war, allowing families to reconcile and move on to a more peaceable future. Her husband, still officially referred to as "Odin" stayed with her for the rest of her days, and the two never lost their love of theatrics.

Leo—Hand of Darkness

Leo's skills in combat tactics were much less in demand following the war, but his ability as a diplomat was sought after even more than before. His work demanded much from him, allowing him very little time at home with his wife and son, but the family had come to anticipate such an arrangement, and their independence from one another mean that this change was not a devastating one, although it did make their occasional full reunions during holidays that much more joyous.

Camilla—The Dark's Embrace

Not unlike she had done prior to the start of the second war, Camilla spent little time at the castle with the rest of her family, preferring to tour the countryside with her husband and daughter. She never raised a weapon again, following the war, as she proclaimed that even she had developed a strong distaste for killing. Her husband's employment in Nohr's military meant he couldn't do the same, but, fortunately for both of them, Nohr never had another military engagement serious enough to warrant his assistance for the rest of his life. Camilla had a predilection for visiting orphanages and coddling all the young ones for a few hours before taking off again. As she grew older, travelers who crossed paths with her would often salute her, claiming to be those selfsame children, and she would embrace them once more, remarking on how they'd grown. She would never admit it to anyone, but her husband suspected she was trying to fill the void Corrin had left.

Xander—The Lion of Nohr

Leo had been correct. Xander's establishment of a new treaty with Hoshido that refused to impose upon them any significant sanctions did not go over well domestically, but with his siblings' cunning and his own authoritative presence, Xander retained a strong hold on the governance of Nohr, guiding it away from the mistakes of its past long enough to prepare the crown to be passed down to his son. He paid an annual visit to the tomb of King Ryoma, and created a special mausoleum in a graveyard near Castle Krakenburg where Corrin's remains were interred. The site became a historic monument, and engraved on it were words encouraging Nohrians told hold onto their values, but be bold enough to strike out for something greater. Xander himself would be remembered as one of Nohr's greatest kings, leading it out of the great shadow of the Long Night and beyond the scars of another war to reach a long-lasting peace on the other side.

Ophelia—Maiden of Dusk

Ophelia carried on some facsimile of her mother's role after she passed away. Neither Nohrians nor Hoshidans were quite sure what to make of the girl who danced in circles of glittering gems and proclaimed the names of arcane spells in a performance directed at no one in particular, but they seemed to decide that, generally, she was harmless, and a bit fun to watch. Not long after the war, Owain explained to her the significance of the brand that had appeared on her hand, and took her to meet her grandparents. All parties were overjoyed.

Sophie—Steadfast Stumbler

Sophie continued to travel the countryside with her parents, all while honing her knightly skills. Over time, she would part ways with them for longer and longer periods of time to embark on adventures of her own, be they solitary affairs or errands with another. She was forced to become a bit more serious when she became Nohr's eldest princess, and the work was difficult for her, but the commonfolk of Nohr appreciated and related to their scatterbrained, work-worn, wanderlust-filled princess.

Forrest—Quiet Dignity

Forrest did well taking over his father's role after his passing. He never stopped presenting himself in his choice of fashion, and many Nohrians were motivated by his refusal to accept insults that came his way. Forrest became an accomplished political figure all his own, although he never shared his father's aptitude for military matters. Fortunately, he didn't much need such knowledge. Less fortunately, he never got a chance to meet his maternal grandparents, despite his mother's hopes: both of them passed before they got a chance to visit. Severa still showed her son her homeland and introduced him to some of her friends.

Siegbert—A King's Destiny

Despite all his anxieties, Siegbert did eventually take on his father's crown, allowing Xander some much-needed rest in his final years. Siegbert's style of ruling was a considerable adjustment from his father's, but he managed to retain the same kind of determination his father had possessed while acting as king, and so he never lost control of the country. Nohr and Hoshido continued to function in peace with one another following the war and many decades thereafter thanks to his leadership.

Kiragi—Bright Star

When Kiragi returned and healed from the war, he set about on the difficult task of explaining the trickery that had been used to manipulate Hoshidans into accepting the distorted version of his father. He endured violent retribution from some who had been victims of his possessed father's madness, but he suffered these gladly, willing to atone for the difficulties his father had caused. When memory of the war faded, he was treated much better, eventually returning to a proper place in the castle and being well-liked for his joyful, optimistic nature. No one was happier to see his bright future slowly unfold than his mother, who was buried beside her husband many years after the war, saying that she had been waiting to see him for a long time before closing her eyes for good.

Shiro—Broken Prince

Shiro suffered greatly after the loss of his father, but, thankfully, Sakura's rule gave him the time to cope with the tragedy and learn more about the role he was expected to take on as prince. When it was his time to assume the throne, he did so confidently, and did his best to keep Hoshido away from further war with Nohr, despite some persistent urging. He was thought of as more affable and approachable by the citizens of Hoshido than his father, but he never stopped honoring the samurai's code of ethics, just as his father had. Records say that he lived an exceedingly long life, and that he died of heart failure in the middle of a morning training session—"Only King Shiro," Hoshidans would repeat for decades, "could kill King Shiro."

Azura—Silence Shattered

Following Anankos's defeat, Azura looked around at Valla and decided there was only one proper course of action. She met with both Xander and Sakura and officially established the country as an independent nation, ready to be rebuilt. The news was a shock to many in Nohr and Hoshido, but with Anankos vanquished, the curse seemed to have been lifted, and the strange land hidden within the ground was discussed openly and, because of its curious nature, actually built a moderately powerful economy on the basis of tourism. Refugees and deserters the world over came flocking to the mythical land, seeking a chance for a new start, and were welcomed with open arms, so long as they provided for the reconstruction of the once-great kingdom. Over time, Valla replaced other smaller nations such as Izumo and Nestra as the most popular neutral grounds for negotiation between countries, meaning she was frequently visited by Xander, Leo, Elise, Sakura, and all their spouses. Less frequently, Camilla would also stop by and discuss their childhood together, as well as their shared love of Corrin, though the latter sometimes devolved into loud arguments over who loved him more—these were the only occasions on which Azura was known to frequently raise her voice. Azura served as Valla's first acting queen in the decades since her mother and father had been murdered, and, when her time was done, she passed her pendant on to her son with the same set of instructions her mother had given her. When the years grew long and her hair faded to gray, she rejoined her husband and sang softly until she fell silent beside his tomb, a song that none save her and the dead earned the privilege to hear, and which might have been the most beautiful song she ever sang, and then never heard again, making it as splendid and as fleeting as a bubble. A popular legend used to scare children away from the site claims that if you hang around on rainy or windy nights, Azura's voice still carries through the somber graveyard.

Shigure—Mankind's Scion

Shigure aided his mother in her rule for many years until her passing. When he received her pendant, he told her about the vision he'd experienced following Anankos's defeat, and she encouraged him to heed it. After receiving the Omega Yato from Kana, he took both artifacts and purchased a ship to ferry him out to the deepest known part of the ocean. With the crew's help, he attached boulders and heavy metal armor to the items with rope, wire, and all manner of binding before finally casting them off into the waters, never to be seen again. Satisfied that his task was done, Shigure reconnected with his cousins in Hoshido, and established a relationship with his kin in Nohr before returning home. While there, he decided he wasn't interested in a ruling position, leaving that task to his sister, and he roamed unexplored regions of Valla, learning more about the relationship between dragons and humans, as well as the lives and purposes that drove the dragons to this world. He became something of a hermit and, later, a component of folklore, on par with the Rainbow Sage.

Kana—Draconic Heir

Kana had a difficult time adjusting to her role as a Vallite princess—she'd lived in Castle Krakenburg for many years, but had never really counted herself among the royalty. Now, however, she was forced to embrace the responsibility of her heritage. With help from her mother and, occasionally, her brother, as well as her uncle and the rest of her extended family, she became a powerful and much-beloved queen of Valla. Her ability to transform into a dragon was celebrated as proof of her divinity for some, though she continued to insist that dragons should not be revered as deities and that they were as flawed as humans, each with their own virtues and foibles. She is credited with creating an entirely new canon of quasi-religious folklore pertaining to the ways of the dragons, with details provided by her brother. Her father had been the "Moonlight Prince," who brought Nohr back into the light in its darkest hour, but she would later be revered as the "Dragon Empress" and "Maiden of the Gray" for her strong leadership and assistance in mediating political conflicts between Nohr and Hoshido—no matter the circumstances, no one wanted to anger the woman who could turn into a dragon at will. She married somewhat late in life and had several children, who she doted on. Like her, some showed the ability to transform, and all sported the same pale blue hair that would become a sign of Vallite royalty.

~~~ […] ~~~

The young man palmed the yellow fruit, dropping his arm to his side as he squeezed the wedge into his mouth. "I'm just wondering why exactly you called me here. There are plenty of other people who could hear this, ya know?"

"I know, but it's important that you understand in particular, honey," the redheaded woman said, sitting down and stroking back her long hair. "You remember when we went to visit your grandma and grandpa's grave?"

"Sure. Nice little place they had. Seemed like it might get a bit boring out there, but… eh." He shrugged.

"Do you remember what I told you about how your grandpa died?"

"Yeah. Worked to death, basically."

"Sort of. But is wasn't just work. It was war that really broke him down. He wouldn't admit it to anybody, but he took a lot of burdens on his shoulders. Some of them were riding him all the way down into the grave, and they'll stay with him there forever."

"There a point to this?" Liam asked, biting into the lemon wedge and twisting his lips as the sour juice struck his tongue.

"Look at it this way and see if you come to the same conclusion," his mother commanded, "I got to know your grandpa in the middle of a war. Even when that war was over, he was still dealing with the fallout from that war. The time I left was a war with dwindling hope. Then I came here, and I met Corrin after he had just sorted out a war, and then, not more than a decade or so after you were born, what happened?"

"Well, 'war' hardly sounds like a real word now that you've repeated it so much," replied her son.

She rolled her eyes. "Please, be serious. I'm just wondering… is there some kind of curse attached to us? I can't stop thinking about the mark we bear… are we somehow bound to create conflict wherever we go?"

Liam scoffed.

"What's so funny?" his mother demanded.

"You think people fighting is somehow _our_ fault?"

"Liam, I—"

"No, no, no. I heard your piece, now you're gonna listen to mine. War might seem to follow us wherever we go, but that's only 'cause it follows humans wherever they go. Long as there's at least two people left on the planet, someone's gonna want someone dead. As much as it hurts to say, there's never gonna be some utopian world where everybody sits in a circle around a bonfire and sings songs. People make mistakes, they forget the past, and they end up fighting. Then, they realize how dumb they've been, and vow never to do it again. That's practically all of history, if you look at it."

"So, you think we can't do anything about it, either? That's hardly encouraging."

"I didn't say that. We can always try to stop them from making those mistakes, to remind them of the past they're forgetting, but there won't always be people like us, and, even when there are, people will still make mistakes regardless. It's stupid to go beating yourself up because the world won't ever be perfect. You just gotta try your damnedest, and, if that doesn't work, take your lumps and move on."

Morgan creased her brow as she looked at her son. She couldn't believe that he, of all people, was trying to give her philosophical reassurance.

"What's that look for?" He gave her a smirk. "That's a look that says 'I can't believe you, of all people, are trying to give me philosophical reassurance.' Frankly, I'm a little offended. I can be a little poetic if I want."

"You've grown to have such an interesting attitude, Liam. I bet your grandpa would love to chat with you, if he could."

"Heh. I'd like to have a few words with the old man myself."

She smiled. After a moment of silence, she rose from her chair. "C'mon. I'm making some soup. My mom's old recipe."

~~~ […] ~~~

Soleil—A New Light

Soleil traveled the world after the war, and was a favorite at every inn she visited, charming both men and women alike with her sunny disposition and lovable energy. She often invited her parents along, either together or separately when she was headed somewhere nearby. Once or twice, she even managed to drag her brother along to have some fun, although he wasn't know to spend very long at those locations. Soleil never had the chance to meet her maternal grandparents, although she was shone their home and told about them, but she did get an opportunity to meet her grandmother, from with whom she spent the remainder of her time in that country practicing her dances. She never married, although there are spurious claims from people in different parts of the world claiming to be descended from her. She passed through the world a mystery, but an icon.

Inigo—Exalted Destiny

Knowing the fate of his own world, Inigo was content to leave behind his old home in favor of continuing to serve the royal house of Nohr for as long as he could. Having learned of his secret, Xander would frequently engage him about his father and sister, trying to understand how his nation was run, and how it differed from Nohr and Hoshido. When he wasn't helping the royal family, Inigo fell back on his old habits of visiting taverns and chatting up women while acting as a kind of hero-for-hire around the Nohrian countryside where bandits frequently struck. With Xander's permission, he eventually started a small militia that he dubbed "The Shepherds of Dark." Criminal entities mocked this name ruthlessly, but they weren't laughing when the men themselves came knocking on their doors.

Liam—Misanthropic Mastermind

When the war was ended, Liam avoided the military and the political affairs of the country around him like the plague, thankful to never have to engage in that kind of serious work ever again. He continued gambling and took on journeyman's work to make ends meet, never finding any serious success, but always managing to stay afloat. Despite his outward hostility toward most people, he did eventually marry. Several times. Most of his relationships were rocky, at best, and he never quite felt comfortable with anyone he settled down with for very long. He sired a few children and took small comfort in their successes, never quite knowing where he was headed in life. When he was unsure of what else to do, he would visit Kana and regale her with stories of his exploits. It was one of the few occasions on which he was always seen smiling. Stories of the lives his children led and of his passing vary widely: some say one of his sons founded a criminal empire in Nestra, another claims one simply found a quiet life as an inspector in a small town, and still others claim that one went on to leave a legacy as a masterful horse racer. Regarding his death, both popular retellings also refer to his children: in one version, he was killed protecting his daughter from a murderous priest, in the other, he died protecting his son from a grave robber in the Wind Tribe lands.

Morgan—Unforeseen Entity

Morgan was happy to live out the rest of her life quietly among her family. Once a year, she would slip away to visit her parents' graves and consult them both on what to do next. In order to keep the family's finances flowing and sate her need for travel, she eventually fell back into her mother's line of work as a traveling merchant. She took care to never travel _too_ far from home, in case her family had need of her, but she enjoyed the simple life that still managed to give her the surprise and adventure she craved. In the end, she never attempted to conceal her mark, and insisted that her children wear it as a sign of pride. To this day, the six-eyed purple design is a universally recognizable symbol in Nohr, Hoshido, and Valla, and it is respected as a good reason not to irritate its bearer. Thankfully, Morgan never had to lead another group through a war for the rest of her lifetime, and she passed away comfortably, surrounded by her friends and family. Her concern for the fate of the world after her passing lingered, but she was comforted by thoughts of her father, and of her son, both of whom had assured her, in their own way, that her contribution was a success all its own. The world would still have it wars, but she had done what she could to keep it from falling into that trap for the remainder of her lifetime. She hoped others would set out to do the same.

 **[AN]:** Hi, everyone. Thanks for joining along with me for this long journey through the biggest piece I've ever written for this site. It's been really great to see the amount of attention and love this piece has received-it's beyond anything I could've imagined. I've had so much fun getting it out to all of you and seeing your reactions, and just building this whole story was a joy in itself, although I can't say I'm not a little relieved to have it finished. Enough gushing, though. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, and, in particular, thank you to Cormag Ravenstaff, The Apocryphal One, OkayDokey33, and Antex-The Legendary Zoroark for the sheer volume of the feedback they provided and/or sticking with me since the very beginning. Much love to all of you. I hope everyone who has read all the way to the end enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. For now, I bid you adieu.


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